First comes pregnancy then comes parenthood
by Shakespearenarutostyle
Summary: Sometimes, the things you least expect are the ones that evoke the most special of reactions in you, even if you have a prior negative impression. Sasuke never believed more in that fact than he did as he stared at his troubled wife. SasuSaku AU OOC
1. Revelation

Random oneshot, I wrote this in hopes of curing my writer's block for prince charming, but fear no readers! part 6 should be on deck in a week or so if not a few days.

In the mean time, please enjoy my random oneshots.

AU

* * *

A twenty something brunet typed furiously on his laptop, eager to finish the documents that required his attention and head home after the long 12 hours he spent sitting behind his large mahogany desk.

The small machine beside him ringed, the young man cursed and forced his long fingers to leave the keyboard and push the tiny button that would allow him to converse with his assistant.

"_Uchiha-san," her_ curt business-like voice interrupted the deathly silence that occupied his spacious office. "_Your father has called again."_

He resisted the urge to growl at the bit of the information; the man did not know when to give up.

"Tell him that I am currently unavailable." He replied.

The Uchiha could almost feel her uneasiness from the other side of the line.

"_B-but mister Uchiha, he has been quite persistent."_

He almost pitied the woman. Almost.

"You can tell him that I will get in touch with his as soon as I go home."

"_Yes sir." _The secretary answered, seemingly unafraid of Uchiha Fugaku's reaction when she tells him that, once again, his youngest son refused to talk to him, anymore.

His attention was drawn to the e-mail that was supposed to be sent to his associates.

His onyx eyes landed on the silver watch clasped on his wrist.

Quarter to eight, he should have been home two hours ago and yet because of incompetent employees and last minute meetings, he was forced alongside the poor lady that worked as his assistant to stay until dark.

With a sigh of defeat, he admitted to himself that it would be impossible for him to finish the piles of paperwork that waited for him. Not until midnight, at best.

He pressed the small button that would link him to his secretary's office, she was quick to answer.

"_Yes sir?"_

He ran his through his hair and across his face, trying to erase the traces of fatigue.

"You can go home, now."

"_Are you sure, sir? I could stay a while later."_

That was one of the things he admired about the middle aged woman, she was not exactly up to date with the computer skills that were required of secretaries nowadays, having worked at the company since his father's days, but she was dedicated to her job and earned what she was paid.

"Yes, Midori-san, thank you for staying this long."

"_Anytime, sir."_

A beep told him that the conversation ended.

The young Uchiha began to gather his things himself, deeming twelve hours of work long enough.

At last, he managed to send the e-mail and shut off his laptop before he had the chance to hope for a quick reply.

His hand reached for the shiny black device that served as his phone, he unlocked the screen with a slide of his finger. No messages, no missed calls.

He frowned at that. Usually, she would have blasted his phone by now, inquiring, more like interrogating, about his whereabouts.

Perhaps, she was sleeping?

He shook his head, expelling such thoughts from his mind in the process.

He found his keys and headed out the door, sparing one last glance at the now dark office to make sure that he didn't forget anything.

The hallways were empty, not that he expected anyone to stay behind for such a late hour, he could only see his car in the underground parking lot.

With tired steps, he climbed into the black SUV and sped out of the building.

Halfway home, his phone rang, he rolled his eyes when he spotted the name flash across the screen.

Using the car phone holder, he safely received the call with a quick flick of his finger.

His eyes remained glued to the road as he grunted a,"Yes father?"

His father's gruff voice broke through the car. _"It has become impossible to get in touch with you these days, Sasuke."_

Once again, he rolled his eyes. "I am busy, Otou-san, you know that."

Fugaku grunted. _"When can you come over? You know I despise communicating with you through this vile device. _

Sasuke frowned, familiar with his father's less-than-good relationship with technology. Up until a few years ago, the older Uchiha did not even own a phone, it was only when the job of being a CEO of one of the biggest companies in Japan obligated him to did he purchase one.

"When I have the time." He replied simply.

"_I have been hearing that for two months now. Your mother is most unhappy with your absence."_

"I can't find the time. Things have been hectic, these days."

Fugaku was quick to make assumptions. _"Why? Something wrong with the business?"_

"No, father. I said hectic not catastrophic."

"_Good, good."_ Sasuke chose to ignore the relief that coated Fugaku's voice when he said that_. "Now, moving on to more delicate subjects."_

This time, Sasuke did not quell the urge to groan and let his father know of his unhappiness with the next topic.

"Don't start."

The Uchiha patriarch scoffed from the other line. "_So you do know what is wrong."_

Sasuke snapped. "Nothing is wrong, dad."

"How can you say that when after three years you have failed to produce what your mother and I desire."

Under different circumstances, Sasuke would laugh at himself for arguing with the phone and basically yelling at the device.

"Failed? Failed? We're in the twenty first century, dad. Which means that it is a matter of choice not _failure._"

"Good, so chose different."

"It's not like that-" Sasuke interrupted himself when he saw that he was approaching the familiar turn. "Listen, dad I'm almost home." He said, hoping that he would take the hint and hang up.

"_Then, your wife can listen too."_

Sasuke resisted the urge to bang his head against the steering wheel; he could feel a massive headache forming.

He parked the car in his familiar spot in the vast garage, spotting his wife's red car in the process where he left it this morning.

He took the phone with him and disabled the loud speaker, opting to press the small gadget to his ear instead.

"I think we talked about this already, Tou-san, I am telling you this matter is private, you and mother have no say in it. Only, Sakura and I do."

The young Uchiha could hear his father's hackles rising at his constant animosity towards the subject.

"_I did not marry you off to Sakura so you-"_

He could not help but interrupt him. "That's right, father. You forced me into this situation and I am not letting you force me into another one."

It was true that his arranged marriage with Sakura worked out eventually, but he was adamant about not letting his father interfere with his life again.

He made his way through his home, frowning at the darkness that took over the large house.

He checked the kitchen and the living room, still listening to his father's arguments, but found no trace of his wife.

He made his way through the stairs, heading straight for the master bedroom and frowning again when he found no Sakura. His dark eyes caught a light coming out of the small space between the bathroom door and the floor.

"I am not opposed to the idea." He snapped, hand in the process of working the knob. "For the last time I will not have a child simply because you want me t-"

His lips froze at the sight that met him, for a fool minute he ignored his father's calls of his name and stared at the woman perched on the toilet seat.

Her panicked green eyes snapped to his form, even from his spot, three feet away from her, he could see they were glassy.

He traced her form, her shirt was raised so it rested crumpled underneath her breasts, her hand covered the soft area of her abdomen.

His dark eyes jumped towards her hand where he saw an object that almost made his heart stop.

"D-dad…I'll…'I'll have t-to call you back." He thumb pressed the button that ended the call.

For the first time in his life, Sasuke did not feel disgusted with himself for stuttering like a fool. Because, in his wife's hand, his keen eyesight spotted a small pregnancy test that was clearly showing a plus sign.

He almost dropped the phone in shock.

"S-sasuke." Sakura could barely articulate his name as he approached her.

The Uchiha sunk to his knees, and stared at the exposed flesh of her abdomen.

Hesitantly, he brought a shaking hand to cover hers. He looked into her eyes, searching for confirmation. She could only nod, as crystal liquid escaped the emerald seas of her eyes.

"I-I don't know…what happened…I mean I take the pill…and…and"

He brought a finger, from his free hand to her lips, shushing her in the process.

His mind could barely wrap itself around the fact that just seconds ago he was arguing with his father about not wanting to give him his desired grandchildren yet and now he was going to be a father.

When he snapped those big fat no's to his parents when they opened the taboo subject, he never thought that he would feel so much joy and tranquility at the thought of his own flesh and blood coming to life.

Sakura's lip trembled against his fingers, waiting for his reaction.

His eyes traveled, once more, to her flat belly. He marveled at the thought of a living being incased in such a small space.

Slowly, his head came to rest on her stomach, almost as if he'd feel closer to his child, their child.

Sakura's hands buried themselves in his hair as plastered his cheek against her cool flesh.

She has been sitting here for the past hour, wondering how she would deliver the news to her husband who seemed opposed to the thought of having children. She was afraid that he would react violently; she even thought that he would ask her to have an abortion. She never expected him to show the hidden but existing gentle part of his true self as he caressed her tummy.

Still, she desired a final confirmation.

"Is-is this o-okay?"

He looked at her with a smile in his eyes and nodded his head.

As he watched his wife smile through big fat tears, one random thought settled itself in the deep recesses of his brain.

Damn, his father would have something to gloat about.

* * *

So? how was it?

To all Prince charming readers, as I mentioned before part 6 might take longer than usual, thank you all of you who reviewed and for those that read but did not bother to post their opinions, thank you for stopping by.

Review, review, review.

ps. I might do a continuation to this if enough reviewers ask me to.


	2. Aftermath

There you go! even though I only received three reviews, which are well appreciated, I decided to make this a multi-chapter story just because I like this particular plot, I don't know how many chapters it would last but it's something to fill my time with!

AU OOC

* * *

Sleep seemed to refuse to claim the husband and wife that night; they both lay on the bed for hours playing possum, both unaware that the other is wide awake.

The rosette hesitated for a few seconds before calling with a soft voice, "Sasuke?"

There was a rustle of sheets as he turned to face her in the pitch black darkness of the room.

"Are you still awake?"

"Aa." He answered in his favorite monosyllabic not-quite-a-word.

She mimicked his earlier movement and twisted to lie on her side.

"W-what were you arguing on the phone with your father about?"

His eyes snapped open and panic rose inside him at the thought of her taking it the wrong way.

"Sleep." He chose to ignore the subject, for now. "We can talk about this in the morning."

She seemed to be persistent. His wife approached his form and laid her hand on his bare chest.

"Was it…was it about children?"

Sasuke frowned in the darkness; he was facing two choices that are equally bad. He could specifically tell her to let the matter be and risk making her upset with him for weeks to come, or he could confirm her suspicions and spend weeks trying to tell her that he was not hateful of their unborn child.

He sighed dejectedly. "Aa."

"I-I see."

The shake in her voice made him frown deeper. With a click of his tongue, he dragged her body further into his embrace, urging her to lay her head on his firm chest.

"That was a different matter, Sakura." He explained. "I am not opposed to the idea of having a child." He sighed, tiredly. It felt like he was saying the same sentence for the millionth time."I do, however, despise the idea of us conceiving because our nosy parents wish us, too. That's what the argument was about."

She burrowed deeper into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his torso to feel closer to his warmth.

"I-I was so scared, that-that you'd ask me to …" she trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

He inhaled the sweet fragrance of her cherry blossom colored hair, basking in the comfort that the smell of flowers radiated. "I'd never do that, Sakura. You should know that."

Sakura's lips found his pale flesh. "I know, thank you."

The next morning was…awkward.

They had breakfast in silence; no words exchanged save for the customary 'good morning'.

Sasuke stared at his wife who was nipping at her fruit filled plate, her usual breakfast, as he sipped the bitter liquid of his black coffee.

Her green eyes were downcast, seemingly focused on finishing her meal, but he knew better.

He cleared his throat making her look at him from across the table.

"We should schedule an appointment with the doctor soon, right?"

The way he sad that almost made her giggle, he sounded so confused and clueless but she nodded her head, nonetheless.

Her eyes traveled to the table once more, leaving him with a small frown on his face.

"Sakura." The Uchiha called softly. "Cheer up."

Without her consent, her full rosy lips arched in a gentle smile that she only reserved for him. Seemingly content with that, he went back to sipping his beverage.

"No work today?" Her small voice broke through the silence.

"It's Saturday."

"Oh, right." She answered, scratching the back of her head sheepishly for forgetting that it was the weekend already. Her head snapped up as if she just remembered something. "You came home two hours late, last night."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He had a feeling that she'd remember that. "I was working. You can ask Midori and check my collar for lipstick marks if you want."

The rosette stuck her tongue out at him childishly. He just shook his head and focused on his laptop which occupied the space in front of him on the table.

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Sakura place her elbows on the table to hold her chin up.

"You're gonna think I am silly but," she giggled, "yesterday, after you fell asleep, I spent an hour thinking about names."

He arched an eyebrow. "Already?"

She laughed again. "I know, right? But I could not help it, I just started thinking about them and I couldn't stop."

"You shouldn't spare your sleep, especially now." Sasuke reprimanded.

She scowled at the empty air beside her in a brat-ish manner that almost made him laugh out.

"So? What did you come up with?"

She seemed to brighten at that. "I don't know nothing specific yet. I guess it's just too early for that."

He opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the soft vibration of his phone. Checking the caller id, he could not help but growl.

"Work?" she inquired.

"No, Tou-san." he squinted at the screen for a few heartbeats before reaching across the table to hand the device to her.

She held her hand out instinctively and stared dumbly at the mobile phone.

"Answer it." He urged.

She pressed her lips together at him and pushed the answer button.

"Ohayo!" She exclaimed as soon as the call clicked. "Yes, it's Sakura."

She listened for a few minutes before shooting her husband a panicked look.

"Um, why didn't Sasuke pick up? It's-it's, um, because," he shook his finger, signaling that he did not want to talk to him, "he's sleeping, right, you know he's not much of a morning person."

She laughed at something his father said. "No, everything is alright. Yeah, sure. I will tell him that you called the minute he wakes up. Okay, say hi to Oba-san for me. Bye."

She glared at him as she handed him his phone back. "Why'd do that? You know I hate lying to him."

He just shrugged. "What did he have to say?"

"He was worried about you since you didn't sound too good when you hang up and you didn't call him back so…"

"He just wants to argue some more."

She chuckled. "So tell him, so you can finally receive some peace and quiet."

"Heh, I'll never hear the end of it if I do tell him, he'll gloat about it for years."

She stared at him with wide eyes for a good thirty seconds before she burst out laughing.

He glared at her.

"God, you can be such a child, sometimes."

Despite being annoyed at her mocking, he could not help but smirk softly at the bubbly happiness that roamed the air.

"So you never told me, what did you come up with?"

The pinkette looked at him confusedly before an imaginary light bulb sparkled on her head.

"Oh yes, well I wanted something that would stand out, special you know, but sensible at the same ti…"

The sound of her cheerful rambling was tuned out as he thought about the new situation they landed themselves in. He could get used to this; perhaps parenthood was not so bad after all.

In the back his mind, he could already imagine a toddler with green eyes and dark hair wobbling towards him with his or her mother's cheerfulness and clumsiness.

Father, the word did not sound too bad, not bad at all.

"Hey, you are not listening."

* * *

Did you like? did you hate? tell me all about it and don't hesitate to suggest ideas of your own.

review, review!

ps. I know the chapter is short and I intend to make all the chapters nice and light.


	3. Daddy, I'm pregnant!

Hey! I am sorry for the relatively long wait, my laptop has gone MIA because my older brother's computer is down (sighs)

Thanks to all who reviewed, your opinions are well appreciated.

Anyway, I'll let you start reading

* * *

"Are you ready?" Uchiha Sasuke, from his position where he leaned against the door with his hands in his pockets, asked his wife as she was putting on a pair of earrings."

She swiveled her chair to look at him. "Almost, I just need to put on my shoes."

His keen eyes caught her movement as she bent over to slip on her high heeled pumps.

"Are you sure that that's a good idea?" He gestured towards the shoes.

She cocked her head to the side, not fully registering what he meant until she saw his eyes longer on her flat stomach.

"O-oh, well, it's still too early to be wearing ballet flats so."

At his disapproving look, she added, "Really, it's barely been 6 weeks, it's okay."

Sasuke squinted at her. "You heard the doctor; she said that most cases of miscarriage happen on the first trimester, that's why you need to be extra careful."

She giggled as walked over to him, donning the sequin heels, the rosette put her hand on his chest and used the height that her shoes granted her with to lay a kiss on his lips.

"I am the doctor, Sasuke, not you. And I am not going to miscarry because of high heels."

Dejectedly, he surrendered and let her grab her purse and followed him out of the bedroom, as she flicked the lights, she cringed at the state they, or rather she, had left the bedroom in.

She had probably changed outfits 4 or 5 times before she settled on a halter black gathered drape dress that stopped at her mid thighs, she had chosen a pair of sliverish sequin stilettos and a matching clutch and accentuated the look with different types of jewelry.

They chose to tell their parents on Fugaku's 6O birthday that takes place two weeks after they found out about their little treasure.

She would forever treasure the moment she first laid her eyes in their baby, she could have sworn that Sasuke's eyes watered beside her. The minute the monitor showed her womb, his breath hitched. The doctor said that it was too early to hear the heartbeat but they should be able to on the second appointment.

She had gone so far in her thoughts that the rosette did not notice that they had pulled over on the Uchiha's mansion driveway until her husband nudged her.

"We can go home if you're not feeling up to it." Sasuke reassured.

Sakura scoffed."You're just looking for an excuse to get out of this."

She almost laughed out at the-almost-pout that crossed over his face but refrained in fear of rising his hackles.

"Come on, it shouldn't be that bad." She exclaimed, prodding him to leave the car.

He grumbled something about 'how he hated these kinds of things, she just shook her head and exited the car.

They walked to the front door, she spotted a familiar red Porsche and she frowned.

Sasuke took notice of her grimace as she stared at the vehicle and immediately put two and two together.

Silently, he squeezed her hand and led her through the house into the spacious backyard where the celebration was held.

Her mother-in-law smothered her with affection the minute she stepped into the cool air.

"Sakura, dear. Where have you been? You never visit anymore." Mikoto, still looking young despite her age, exclaimed while she greeted her youngest son.

Before she could respond, her mother's voice interrupted. "Neither do I, Mikoto."

"Mom…" sakura started then looked at Mikoto, "And Mom, I've been busy."

The Uchiha matriarch waved her off. "Ah, I swear it's like you two rehearse that line whenever you come here. Anyway, come on."

The crowd of four moved further into the garden where they met up with the rest of the family.

After greetings and congratulations were said they settled on the dinner table which held various kinds of food. Her mouth watered just thinking about them. Instead of embarrassing herself by diving head first into to the meal, she looked at the red head across from her.

"So, Karin, I didn't know you were coming. I thought you were overseas?"

The red head smirked. "I was, but since my parents could not make it, I had to come to congratulate _oji-san _in their stead." Karin turned to look at Sasuke. "It's been a while since we spoke, Sasuke. Oba-san tells me that you've been busy since you took over the company completely."

"I have. It takes most of my time." He glared at his brother halfheartedly. "Maybe if a certain someone had taken up Business administration instead of public relations, like _he was expected to, _I wouldn't have so much work over my head."

Itachi chuckled. "But public relation are much more fun." His tone turned mocking," Besides, don't you enjoy being the boss? The one that calls all the shots?"

Sasuke growled and was about to lash out on him when Mikoto interrupted before it could turn into an all out verbal attack.

"Boys, this isn't the time."

The parents chuckled at the childishness of two fully grown males.

"Sakura, honey, you didn't tell us how things are going at the hospital."

The rosette chewed thoroughly before setting down her fork to reply to her mother.

"Great, Differential Diagnosis offers a vast array of experiences. Just this morning, our team caught a dangerous case of water poisoning that could have become a catastrophic epidemic." There was no hint of pride in her voice as she revealed her team's accomplishments.

Karin, annoyed by the state of awe that that revelation brought, scoffed. "But you guys don't do the real curing, do you? You just send them to real specialist to cure them?"

Sakura smiled at her. "Yes, but I am sure you know that the diagnosis is the most important part of the healing process, after all you cannot cure what you do not know, you should know that." Smiling wickedly, she added. "Oh, forgive me; I think they taught us _after _second year." She picked her fork back up and pushed another amount of food into her mouth while looking innocent. "That's the year you dropped out, wasn't it?"

Her father choked on his drink, a chuckle escaped Itachi's lips while Sasuke muffled his into the napkin. Still, she felt his hand squeezing her bare thigh disapprovingly.

Karin turned shades of red that would put her hair to shame, as she stuttered to find the right comeback; she pushed her glasses higher on her nose and huffed arrogantly.

"I did not drop out because I couldn't do it, mind you."

Once again the rosette feigned innocence. "Oh, you don't have to explain anything to me. Med school is simply not for anyone."

Sensing that the air over charged, Mikoto attempted to lighten the mood. "Itachi, how is that girlfriend you introduced to us last Christmas? Why didn't she come with you?"

The oldest of the Uchiha brothers scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh, that, it didn't work out between us."

Fugaku clicked his tongue. "I will probably be celebrating my 80th birthday before you start a steady relationship with a decent lady."

"Hey." He protested. "I did have a steady relationship with a decent lady, don't you remember that lawyer…what was her name, um, I think it was Yume or Yuki maybe?"

"Tch. You can't even remember her name; I knew I should have married you off like your brother."

Sakura cleared her throat loudly when she felt her husband tense beside her.

"Ano, every one, Sasuke and I have some news to share."

All eyes landed on the two and Sasuke shuffled uncomfortably. She held his hand tightly and urged him to tell the news as they had agreed.

He cleared his throat. "I, we are…" He cursed himself for acting like a school boy and declared the news loud and clear. "We are expecting. Sakura's pregnant."

There was a moment of silence before smiles and congratulations broke out.

Mikoto and Hana rose out of their seats to embrace the couples while Daisuke who was closest to the pair clasped Sasuke on the shoulder.

The two gazed at Fugaku expectantly; he has been the one that insisted the most about the pregnancy.

"Kami, it's about time." He exclaimed. "I knew I pounded some sense into you last time."

Sasuke huffed, disbelievingly. "You really think that it is physically possible to conceive a child in two week's time _because you said so?"_

The occupants of the table looked away uncomfortably at what he implied. Sakura pinched his abs discreetly; he simply gave her a 'what' expression.

"Ever the open minded, aren't you, Sasuke?" Itachi joked to clear the awkwardness.

There was a pause of silence, before laughter broke out as the mood was set once again.

"Ah, I think I waited for this moment my whole life." Mikoto exclaimed cheerfully, receiving approving nods.

The dinner progressed positively, the crowd exchanging their daily life stories and laughing about whatever funny encounters happened to them.

The men retreated to a secluded area to discuss business and such, leaving the girls to discuss among themselves.

"Ah," Mikoto sighed, "It's always business with these guys."

Hana Haruno giggled. "Isn't it? At least Fugaku has already retired, my workaholic husband spends two thirds of his days at that retched company." The red head turned towards her daughter. "He was hoping that sakura would take over but now, his only hope to maintain the Haruno business is Sasuke." she sighed dramatically, glancing at the rosette.

Sakura simply rolled her eyes. "Mom, business is not me, you know that."

"I know, I know. Your marriage, luckily, was the solution."

The rosette frowned as she was once again reminded of the fact that she and Sasuke married because they were told to.

"I really wish that you'd st-" She cut her self off as she felt a wave of nausea hit her, she covered her mouth and attempted to quell the urge to puke all over the nicely decorated table.

"Honey, are you feeling, alright?"

The Uchiha matriarch left her seat to grab her by the elbow and help her stand. "Here, I'll take you to the bathroom."

Sakura shook her head and forced a smile. "No, it's okay. It's gone, now. I'm going to take a walk around the garden, maybe that'll help."

The two mothers nodded their heads while the young red head scoffed at her, seemingly annoyed by the attention that her new state brought to her sworn enemy.

The men seemed oblivious to what took place and continued with their business related conversations.

The thing sakura loved most about the Uchiha manor was its vast gardens and various flowers. The thick foliage gave the impression that one was walking through a wild forest instead of a backyard.

The secluded property extended to a green space, with Koi ponds, that overlooked a wide lake. She walked over the wooden deck. The rosette rid herself of her shoes and dangled her legs off the edge. This place was her favorite. Having lived in a luxurious penthouse for the most part of her life, Sakura never had the chance to appreciate the childhood experiences that all people lived through, like building a tree house or setting up a porch.

She heard footsteps echo on the thick grass and she craned her neck to look at the new arrival.

Karing, ever the queen of the right clothes at the wrong times, stood awkwardly in a strapless leopard print mini dress with a mug in her hand.

No sooner than Sakura spared her a glance, she shoved the mug unceremoniously in her hand and muttered. "Here, they said it would help."

Sakura barely missed dropping the mug, she could smell the ginger ale, and nodded her gratitude.

Hesitantly, the red head lowered herself beside her, she ignored the surprised look that her rival shot her and placed her head on her raised knees.

"What did Sasuke think of the pregnancy?"

The rosette remained silent for a whole minute, sipping the warm liquid, till the red head shook her head and grunted a 'forget it' scurrying to her feet.

By the time she turned on her heels, Sakura spoke. "He was surprised, but he accepted it quite nicely."

Karin tapped her foot against the grass. "Is that so?"

Sakura retracted her feet from the water and stood to face the red head while slipping into her heels.

"Yes, that is so. " Her tone was curt and implied much more than she said. "What do you want, Karin? It's not like we usually chat and giggle, do we?"

Karin scoffed. "I am trying to tell you, that I am not giving up."

Sakura scoffed disbelievingly. "You don't know whento give up, do you? Have you no dignity?" she hissed. "This is a married man we're talking about, with a child on the way."

"Say what you want." Karin hissed right back. "For two years, you treated him like crap and you had no regard for your marriage, and suddenly you decide that you do want him and I'm supposed to step back?"

Sakura giggled mockingly. She walked past the enraged woman, stopping to whisper something. "You're right. But tell me this, if you couldn't get him when I was treating him like crap, what makes you think that you can get him when I am giving him all of me?" she stared at her eyes for a few heartbeats, basking in the satisfaction which the doubt and anger that crossed over her crimson eyes brought.

She shook her head. "Think about that." And continued her journey back to the backyard. She stopped in her tracks when she spotted her husband. The rosette intercepted his way, kissing him chastely on the lips.

"Were you sitting by the lake?"

She nodded her head. "Was Karin with you?"

Her smile faltered as she dejectedly nodded her head, thinking that he would go fetch her. Instead he wrapped his arm around her waist and urged her to walk.

"Come on, we're going home."

The ride back home was silent, he would glance her way every once in a while and then focus back on the road.

"Is something wrong?"

Her head snapped in his direction when his deep voice interrupted the silence.

"No, what makes you say that?"

He grunted. "You haven't said a word since we left."

The rosette simply shrugged, fixing her green orbs on the scenery that constantly changed.

Sasuke sighed. "What did you two talk about?" at her confused look, he added, "You and Karin, what did she say?"

Another half-shrug. "Stuff."

His eyes narrowed. "Sakura." The Uchiha warned making her roll her eyes.

"The usual."

He raised his eyebrow at her, urging her to clarify what she said.

The rosette sighed, fighting the urge to condescend to his wishes.

"Don't you sigh at me. If it has upset you this much then I should know."

"Agh, she just started yapping her mouth, that's the only thing she's good at."

He nodded his head, eyes still stuck to the road so as to not get themselves in an accident.

"Okay, what did she say?"

She looked at him funny. "You're not going to give this up, are you?"

The Uchiha smirked at her, shaking his head silently.

Once again, she sighed. "She…she said, that even though we are expecting a child…she's not giving up."

He frowned. "Did she, now?"

Now that he had brought the subject up, she felt the fire that burnt through her when she first heard the comment rise to the surface. "Yes." The rosette exclaimed.

He nodded. "And that upset you because?"

Her eyes widened at his careless and unaffected tone, she waited for him to clarify or to justify his impassive behavior but he continued to stir the car home.

"Are you shitting me?"

He seemed unfazed by her harsh tone and crass words. "She's been saying that for the past, what, three years?"

Sakura was unconvinced even if she had used the same argument not half an hour ago to shut Karin up.

"But still-"

"Still what, Sakura? Just ignore her; she'll grow tired of it eventually."

She turned, as best as she could with her seatbelt hindering her movements, to face her husband and huffed disbelievingly. "How can I? When she's the one that ruined our marriage for two years."

The Uchiha scowled and pulled into the familiar drive way to park the car. He closed his door with a slam and opened Sakura's without a word.

She followed him wordlessly into the house waiting for him to react verbally but none came.

"You shouldn't have insisted on it if you're gonna get pissed about."

He stopped midway through removing his crisp white shirt, having thrown the tie carelessly on a nearby chair and hissed. "You want to know what ruined our marriage for the first two years? It was not Karin; it was not the fact that it was arranged. It was your lack of trust and constant doubt that I, after 5 years of ignoring her, would cheat on you with Karin."

Tears sprung to her eyes at the realization that they, once again, would fight because of Karin, indirectly or not.

"It's not that that bothers me, I trust you now, you know that."

He almost threw his arms on the air in frustration. "Then what? For god's sake, what?"

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "No matter how hard," her voice broke "we try to make it work, no matter how happy, I…I will…I will always be" she choked on her words, "I will always be the woman you were forced to marry."

His fingers paused in their task of unbuttoning his pants. He looked at her broken form as she collapsed on the bed. He walked over to her and knelt beside her.

He coaxed her to lift her head from her knees and ran his thumbs across her cheeks, trapping her salty tears.

"Not to me." He whispered. "Not anymore. To me, you are the woman that I _want _to spend the rest of my life with." He kissed her forehead and rose to his feet.

The Uchiha paused by the bathroom door and whispered. "That should be enough."

Five minutes into his shower, Sasuke felt arms wrap around his waist and a head laid itself in the space between his shoulder blades.

He felt a kiss and heard a whispered 'It's enough.'

* * *

Okay! That was longer than the other chapters and packed with drama.

As usual, all opinions are appreciated.


	4. Of tardiness, nausea and heartbeats

Thank you all for your reviews! I hope you enjoy chapter 4, now that Prince Charming is over and done with, I can focus on this one.

* * *

Sasuke awoke to a sound that became quite familiar these past few days. He forced his lids to slide over his obsidian eyes. With great effort, he raised his arm to rub his face. His eyes darted towards the door that was slightly left open. The Uchiha let out a sigh and left the warm confines of his comfortable bed to trudge towards the bathroom. He shook his head at the state that he found his found his wife in. She was bent over the toilet seat, breathing harshly. He called her name and she raised her face for a second to acknowledge him when another wave of nausea hit her.

The Uchiha bent himself beside her and rubbed her scantily clad back. She gagged and retched for a few more minutes before she settled her head against the cold porcelain. Deeming her stomach settled, he stood and filled a glass with tap water. She rinsed her mouth and handed it back to him.

Clicking his tongue, Sasuke pulled her to his chest. She burrowed deeper into his bare flesh.

The rosette groaned. "Mm, Sasuke-kun, you're so cold." The tone she used implied that that was a good thing so he pulled her closer.

"Don't go to work today." He ordered, making sure to sound gentle.

He felt her shake her head." I can't. I have a surgery."

He snorted. "I am sure the patient won't appreciate it if you threw up on him, unconscious or not."

His only response was a weak smack to his abdomen.

"Help me up."

Still opposed to the idea of her going to work, he did as he was told. She swayed on her feet for a few moments and let him hover over her as she brushed her teeth but she refused to have him direct her to the walk-in closet.

"I am fine, Sasuke-kun." She said as she was thinking about what to wear before she gave up and settled on a pair of dark jeans and a dark short sleeved blouse, she would be changing to scrubs anyways.

"Seriously, go…do something else."

The Uchiha narrowed his eyes and moved deeper into the spacious closet to pick out his own suit. She breathed a sigh of relief when he closed the bathroom door behind him. Sometimes, her husband got way too over protective. She glanced at the clock and noticed that they had awakened an hour too early. Poor Sasuke, her gagging must have woken him up.

She cupped her stomach and rubbed it fondly. "You're already wreaking havoc, little one." She heard the sound of the shower running. "I better go cook some breakfast."

Sasuke walked into the kitchen half an hour later, in his smart business suit with his jacket on his elbow. She smiled at him placed a bowl of fruit salad in front of him.

Sakura smiled apologetically. "Sorry, my stomach was too queasy to make anything else."

"This is fine, healthy." He remarked and dug in. The Uchiha paused and stared as if something was missing.

She glanced around the table ransacking her brain to find what it is that was missing. He frowned and stood up, walking to the fridge. She looked at him confused when he returned with a tall glass of milk. Sasuke placed it in her hand and said, "Drink it."

She wrinkled her noise and prepared to oppose as he sat back but he interrupted her. "At least a glass of milk per day, that's what the doctor said."

Sakura scowled. "I know I was there."

He smirked. "Good, then start complying."

Dejectedly, she sipped the cold beverage. But still, she was touched by his concern.

"I'll drive you to work."

She shifted her attention from her plate to reply. "I can take my car."

"I know, but you don't look too good to me."

She squinted making him rectify. "In terms of health, I mean."

"Tch, whatever."

She sighed as he pulled over next to the hospital.

"I told you not to go to work." He remarked.

"Oh, well." She made a move to leave the car but his hand on her arm stopped her. She questioned him with her eye.

"The appointment is at two o'clock, right?"

"Yeah, but if you're busy, the-"

"I'll be there." He interrupted, then on a move that surprised both of them he leaned in and claimed her lips, before she could respond; he pulled back and motioned for her to go ahead.

"I'll see you."

She nodded hurriedly and scurried out. She stared after his car as he drove off, it was true that he was affectionate at home, but he was never the one to initiate such a sweet act, in public too.

She smiled and told herself to shut up and enjoy it while it lasts.

Sasuke walked into his office building and people whispered among themselves at the fact that for the first time in 4 years The Boss has arrived half an hour late.

He ignored them and headed straight for the elevator. Midori was waiting for him with the files and documents that he had to review for the day.

"Clear up my schedule from two o'clock onwards, actually, make it one thirty."

The middle aged woman shuffled with his schedule and paled. "Ano, there is a buyers meeting with Kawafuji and Co."

He cursed silently then said, "See if you can push it up if not possible then postpone it. Anything else?"

"No, sir."

"Good, I'll be in my office."

"Um sir?"

He raised an eyebrow at her urging her to continue.

"Congratulations, I heard."

"Tou-san?" She only nodded her head. He was right about the bastard gloating.

"Thank you."

He should have told her to cancel it. Period. The meeting extended for three hours and over the lunch break, they have gathered at the conference room at 11 o'clock and now at ten minutes to one pm he was still plastered to the damn chair.

"I think that concludes our meeting, gentlemen." The president of the Kawafuji and Co announced as he began to gather his papers. "Uchiha-san, care to accept my invitation for a late lunch?"

"I am afraid I have a prior arrangement." He answered and excused himself in a hurry.

Thankfully, traffic was light at that time of the day. But still, even after he risked running the red light twice, he was still fifteen minutes late.

He saw Sakura sitting on a chair in the waiting room and his heart sank. "Is it over?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "No, I didn't go in because I was waiting for you."

He resisted the urge to sigh in relief. "Did you reschedule?"

"No. I convinced Dr. Kanai to do a quick consultation for another patient while I wait for your Majesty, you're lucky she's my friend."

He rolled his eyes, but still felt guilty. "I got caught up with a meeting."

She scoffed. "Sure, sure. How long can you stay for?"

"I am not coming back."

She nodded her head and was about to speak when the receptionist called her name.

"Let's go."

The doctor smiled at them and gestured for them to sit down across from her.

"I am glad to see that you are finally here, Mr. Uchiha."

He simply grunted earning a disapproving glance form Sakura.

"Okay, before we start I would like to ask some questions. How is the pregnancy progressing, Sakura?"

"It's…okay. I mean nothing that shouldn't be expected. "

The young woman nodded. "Nausea, vomiting?"

"Just a little in the morning."

Sasuke felt like a complete idiot sitting in an OB/GYN's office surrounded by posters and pictures relating to pregnancy and…female genitalia. He tuned out the words that were exchanged seeing that he was aware of all of it, already.

"Okay, let us begin."

Sakura nodded and moved towards the examination bed. She lifted her scrub shirt up as instructed. The rosette flinched as the cold gel was applied to her exposed abdomen. Sasuke settled himself next to her and waited for the doctor to work the device.

"Okay, there is your baby."

The soon-to-be parents still could not control the surge of emotion that embedded itself in the pit of their souls whenever they saw the small life growing in Sakura's womb.

"Everything looks okay, no problems whatsoever." The doctor glanced at them. "Would you like to hear the heartbeat?"

They both nodded. Dr. Kanai turned a knob on the echo machine and waited for their reactions.

Dum, dum, dum, dum.

Sakura's eyes watered as she listened to the soft thudding sound. Sasuke's hand tightened around hers and his gasp was unmistakable.

It sounded like butterflies flapping their wings. It was fast and energetic and _alive._

And it felt, for Sasuke, like it was the first time that he fully comprehended and enveloped the idea of a loving creature that he co-created with Sakura.

"This is our baby." He could not help but exhale sharply at her words.

The ride home was pleasant.

"You got off early today." He commented, noticing that it was not even 5 yet.

She nodded. "Ah, Tsunade-shishou has cut down my hours since she found out about our baby."

His pride swelled at the word 'our'. "That's good."

She hummed in response.

"How did the surgery go?"

She brightened up. "Great, it was a success. And I _so _did not puke all over."

He chuckled. "Do you want to go out for dinner? Anywhere you want."

She looked suspiciously at him. "And what is the reason for this sudden generosity?"

He scoffed. "Was I ever cheap?"

The rosette giggled. "I guess not." She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "You are forgiven already."

He smirked at the fact that she already caught on to what he meant. "Where do you want to go?" He repeated.

"I already said that I forgave you." She protested.

"Pick a restaurant."

"Sasuke-kun, I am not dressed for it."

He glanced at her simple attire of jeans and a blouse. "You look fine."

"No." she exclaimed, a laugh in her voice. "Look at my shoes."

He glanced at her foot, as best as he could with her foot hidden by the dashboard and rolled his eyes. Only she would consider ballet flats inappropriate.

"This high heels obsession needs professional treatment. Now, how about Chef de Feuille ?"

"I liked you better when you weren't so sweet."

* * *

As usual, tell me what you think!


	5. Dealing with the pregnant!

Thank you for reviewing, I am glad that this story has received positive reactions, and your reward is this fast update!

Enjoy!

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha prided himself in being a moody sleeper, his sleeping pattern alternated between light and heavy; on weekdays he would wake up to something as simple as a bird chirping. On weekends, however, he liked to dive into the deep throes of slumber until he lost all awareness of his surroundings. That state was getting harder and harder to achieve these days.

He cursed soundlessly as he felt his wife toss; _again, _he felt for her, he really did. The physiological changes that were occurring in her petite body made it impossible for her to rest. But it was just too much.

Her leg _kicked _his own, hard, and he resisted the urge to shout at her. Sighing, he closed his eyes in hope that she would find a comfortable position already. It didn't help that she was a cuddler, that fact rendered the huge king bed useless. The Uchiha contemplated the idea of sleeping on the floor when a soft whisper startled him out of his musings.

"Sasuke, are you asleep?"

'I don't think I could sleep like this if you slipped me a whole bottle of pills" is what he liked to say, but he just grunted in fear of hurting her feelings.

"I am thirsty." She half-whined.

"We have water in the kitchen, you know."

"I know, I am too lazy to get it."

He sighed and swung his legs off the edge of the bed, the Uchiha trudged downstairs, almost tripping over his own feet in his sleep deprived state. He flicked the kitchen light on and fetched her desired water.

Sasuke resisted the urge to dump the cold water on her face because of the state he found her in. she was asleep. Almost plucking his own hair out in frustration, he nudged her shoulder gently.

"Mm." She mumbled. "What?"

"Your water?"

"I'm…sleep, Sasu..." She failed to finish her sentence.

Defeated, he walked to his own side of the bed and buried his head into the pillow hoping that sleep would claim him, or death. Both were fine to him.

Mood swings were a whole different matter. They were worse, much worse.

Sakura called her husband on Monday, inviting him to lunch. The Uchiha reclined since it was Monday and that was the busiest day of the week because of staff meetings and what not.

The Uchiha stared at his phone for a good thirty seconds after, she, his kind and thoughtful wife, hung up on him.

"What the hell?"

Midori who had witnessed the whole thing chuckled. "Just let her stew, sir. She will be happy again before you know it."

He shook his head and decided to focus on his work.

Never in his twenty six years of life did the Uchiha Sasuke think that he'd have to sneak into his own house, armed with two pints of chocolate and raspberry Ice cream. He almost tiptoed his way into the living room. His deft fingers flicked on the lights and he almost jumped back in surprise at the sight that met him.

"Why are you still up?" He asked his wife who was cuddled against the arm seat of the couch, barely clutching the remote control. He glanced at the TV and noticed that it was some soap opera rerun.

Her head snapped in his direction and she immediately glared. "I think the more appropriate question is what the hell kept you out so late?"

He cringed inwardly. "Paperwork, tons and tons of paperwork."

She scoffed. "And that kept you till eleven thirty?"

He narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't fooling around with some woman if that's what you are implying."

"Whatever." She turned her attention back to the TV.

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

She stayed silent. She was still mad, apparently. For what? He had no idea. The Uchiha lowered himself on the couch beside her and rolled his eyes when she inched farther.

Not used to taking no for an answer, even a silent one, he pulled her to his arms. She squealed when she was dragged to lie on his lap. She found herself looking up at his face.

"Now, tell me what did I do wrong?"

Anger replaced surprise and she crossed her arms. The Uchiha readjusted her so that her head touched his chin.

Sakura struggled. "Get away from me."

"Not until you tell me what did I do wrong."

She squealed again when he flipped them so that he'd lie on top of her, making sure not to crush her and the little one.

"I am serious, dammit! Stop playing with me."

The Uchiha ignored her and plastered kisses on the exposed column of her neck. "What did I do wrong?" he repeated.

His wife tried to squirm away from his touch and whined, "Sasuke! Let me go."

He would have none of that and continued to kiss her flesh, he had come to the conclusion that the best way to make his wife condescend to his wishes was to lavish her with attention and he was adamant about finding out what he did to upset her.

"What is it, Sakura?"

Feeling that there was no way out for her to get out of this situation without giving him the information he wanted, she grumbled, "You wouldn't come to lunch."

He paused his ministrations. "What was that?"

She mustered her strength and pushed him off far enough so that she could sit up. "I said you wouldn't come to lunch with me when I asked you." She finished the last part with a mumble.

He stared at her dumbfounded. "So it is about that."

"Yes, of course it's about that." She grumbled.

"Sakura," he started exasperated, "I told you, I was busy."

"It's not just that, I feel…I feel like you…you're neglecting me."

"Because I wouldn't do lunch?"

"I just said that it's not that!" She snapped. "You're not paying attention to me."

He rolled his eyes. "I was right now, and you," he drew nearer, lying on top of her once more, "pushed me away."

Her emerald eyes darted between his eyes and lips, before she surrendered and let him kiss her senseless. Just as things were getting hotter, she pulled away.

"I just remembered." She exclaimed. "Did I just see you walk in with ice cream?"

His dark eyes widened and his hand froze in its journey up her crimson camisole. He waited for her to laugh and say that it's all a joke, but she didn't.

The Uchiha sighed dejectedly and replied. "Yes, Sakura, it's ice cream."

Despite his annoyance and frustration, he could not help but smile at the way she childishly bolted towards the entrance where he dropped the sweets. At least she was not mad anymore.

And then there was the low-self esteem and self-consciousness.

"Sakura, this is the fifth time you've changed, settle down on something already." He grumbled at his wife. She was standing in front of the body size mirror, scrutinizing the lavender dress she had on.

She titled her head to the side. "No, light colors make me look fatter."

He sighed. "Sakura, you _are not fat. _I can barely see the baby bump."

She twirled on her heels. "But you _can_ see it."

"Only because I know of it. You look fine."

She shook her head. "Men! Let me try one more dress."

He defied his mind's urge to yell at her or drag her to the car in whatever she had on. But he reminded himself that she was at a delicate state, that she had a lot of stuff going on in her body that made it impossible for her to do something as simple as pick a dress.

"Sure, I'll wait."

She emerged from the walk-in closet 5 minutes later in a white floral dress with a black top. He sprung off the armchair before she had the time to examine the clothes in the mirror.

"That's it. You look fine."

She tried to escape his grip. "Are you sure? My sto-"

"Your stomach looks fine. You don't look fat and no, no one's going to know that you are pregnant unless you tell them. Stop fretting."

"But-"

"Put on your shoes, Sakura."

She grumbled and bent down to slip into her _flats. _You heard her, flats.

"I am still mad about you hiding all my heels." She complained.

The Uchiha sighed. "You wouldn't stop wearing them."

"I would have, eventually." She defended.

"Right, right. Get what you need, we're already late."

The rosette scowled and reached for her purse.

Halfway down the stairs, she paused. "Are you sure I don't look fat?"

* * *

I hope you liked this chapter since it's going to be a while before the next one, I am going on vacation soon and I will have no acess to internet so I can't post anything till late July. Sorry! I'll try to post another chapter before I leave.

Review please!

ps. I love exclamation marks


	6. Caring for you

I stayed up for hours trying to get this up before leaving on my vacation tomorrow, so be grateful.

**warning: unedited **

* * *

Sasuke sighed as the machine that linked him to his assistant's office beeped. He pressed the small button and mumbled a 'what'.

"_Your wife is on line 2."_

"I'll take her."

He sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time that day and received the call. Between his job as the head of one of the most influential companies in Japan and his duties as a husband and a soon-to-be father, Sasuke found himself overwhelmed to the point that he could not draw a schedule that would assure him his known-for-perfection in both domains.

"Hey." He said.

"_Hey." _She replied. "_Why didn't you answer your cell?"_

He glanced at the device and cursed soundlessly when he found three missed calls, all labeled Sakura.

"I was too caught up to notice it."

She dismissed the matter with a hum.

"Did something happen?"

He heard her scoff. "Something must happen for me to call you?"

He rolled his eyes at the false hurt tone the rosette used. "No but-"

"_Maybe I just missed you and I wanted to hear your voice, that did not cross your mind? You immediately assume that something happened?_"

He rolled his eyes again. "What do you want, Sakura?" He continued before she had the chance to defend herself. "And I know you didn't call just because _you missed me."_

"_Tch, you caught me."_

He smirked. "Okay, what do you want?"

Her one worded answer made him look funny at the phone. "Yakisoba?" His wife had a tendency of craving food at the most bizarre timings and situations, but she had never called him, insistently, in his office to share her fads.

"_Hai."_ She replied cheerfully.

"Okay, so order some takeout." It seemed like the plausible thing to do. "Call, that restaurant you like so much, what's it call-"

She made a whining sound. _"But I want your yakisoba. You know, the one you make?"_

He pursed his lips and kicked himself, mentally, for missing her intentions, it was so obvious. "Sakura, I can't just leave to cook for you."

"_But I really want it, right now."_

Oh good lord, why did you have to add cravings to the damn list?

"I just can't, Sakura. I have work."

"_Can't you just leave for a couple of hours? I really want to have it. Your son or daughter demands it."_

He narrowed his eyes, damn clever woman; she knew that that trick always works on him. She has taken up that excuse for a while now.

"Okay. Two hours, I make your food and then I leave."

He could hear her giggle happily on the other line and it was all worth it.

"_Okay, I'll wait for you."_

He shook his head and picked up his necessities and walked out of his office.

"Midori, I am going out for a while, call me on my cell phone if there's anything urgent."

She nodded her head. "Will you be coming back, sir?"

He shrugged. It seemed that he had lost control over his life now and every choice he made revolved around Sakura and her, their, pregnancy.

"Sakura?" he called out as soon as he stepped into the house. He was greeted by a warm embrace and a kiss on the lips.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "This won't get you out of trouble. You know, just because you have the day off, doesn't mean we all do."

She giggled. "What's the point in having your own business if you can't take a random day off?"

He smirked."I thought we agreed on two hours?"

She laughed full-heartedly. "It ain't over till the fat lady sings, Sasuke. " She exclaimed. "And I don't sing."

He frowned and glanced at her stomach that was just starting to protrude in a noticeable matter. "You're not fat, Sakura. You're pregnant."

She waved him off. "Come on, I could kill for a plate of you awesome fried noodles."

He sighed and shrugged out of his suit to fulfill her newest craving. At least it wasn't weird, her whims were downright disgusting at times.

In the end, he ended up staying for more than a couple of hours. After filling her tummy, his wife decided that she was feeling coy.

He broke the passionate kiss and put space between their heated faces. "You're really going to drive the business to bankruptcy if you keep this up."

"Oh, nonsense. They can live without you for a day."

Apparently, hormonal changes caused certain effects on a woman's personality. And the once innocent and shy Sakura turned into a coy vixen in the span of her three months and a half of pregnancy. Not that he was complaining.

One Tuesday morning, Sasuke found himself face to face with his father as he walked into his office. He raised an eyebrow.

"Something the matter?" he inquired, sitting in one of the guest chairs because a _certain someone _has taken over his personal chair.

The Uchiha patriarch cleared his throat. "Just checking over things."

Sasuke nodded, unconvinced. "And?"

Fugaku grunted. "What is this I hear about you skipping work these past few weeks?"

Sasuke sighed. "Midori?"

The older Uchiha nodded. "It was only twice."

"Okay. Why were you absent?"

"Tch, you're the one that wanted a grandchild, deal with the consequences."

Fugaku stayed silent for a whole minute then said. "You mean that the reason you've been skipping work is Sakura?"

"I haven't been skipping work, I left the hat's all. And, yes. It is Sakura."

"Good, take good care of her and my grandchild." With that, he stood and bid his son goodbye.

Sasuke stared at the door and then shook his head disbelievingly. He had to do something about the informant he called a secretary. His father tended to interfere with his life and Midori offered him with the intel that he needs to do that. That trait might get her fired one day, Sasuke was patient when it comes to work, but patience has limits.

Just as he was about to commence his work, his phone rang. He stared at the device as if it has done something to offend him.

The Uchiha scowled when he spotted the caller id, he pressed the button and put the phone against his ear.

"If you're looking for more yakisoba, then forget it." Was the first thing he said.

"Really, cause I was really feeling like having some-" at his growl, she laughed. "I am kidding."

"I was just wondering if you'd make it to a prenatal class."

There was a long pause. "A _what _class?"

Sakura giggled. "You know, the one where they help pregnant women cope with the birth and all that."

"I know what a prenatal class is. But when, how did this happen?"

Sakura sighed dramatically. "Well, Sasuke-kun, when a man and woman _really _love each other they-"

"Sakura." He growled. "Why is this the first time I'm hearing of this?"

"Because, a colleague of mine just told me to register at this class. It's supposed to be great because it covers all the stages of pregnancy. So, are you going?"

He sighed. "I don't know. You can't just spring these things on me."

"Relax, it's not till Saturday."

He pulled the phone from his ear and stared at it. "Sakura, that's four days from now."

"You were just saying that you don't want me to spring things on you."

He heard a knock on the door and muttered a quiet enter. "Listen, I have to go, now. We'll talk more when I am home." He muttered a bye and hang up.

Midori watched him as he rub his temples.

"Going out again, sir?"

"No." The Uchiha replied curtly, choosing not to bring up that issue with his father. "What do you have for me?"

Sasuke never felt more awkward than the day that he sat among pregnant women and their partners, he was even more agitated with the fact that most men frequented this class so much that he was the only one looking out of his element.

"Stop scowling." Sakura hissed from beside him.

"Okay, class. Please join me in welcoming our newest couple, Mr. and Mrs. Uchiha."

Sasuke continued to scowl as the gym like classroom filled with cheers in greeting making sakura pinch his thigh discretely while she smiled back at their classmates.

They were sitting cross-legged on the hardwood floor in a circle and facing the young instructor.

"Okay, today we're going to focus on some pregnancy appropriate exercices since I am sure that all of you have forgotten to pay a visit to the gym." There was a chorus of laughter. "Not that I want you to engage in any physical activities that may be bad for your baby."

Sakura collapsed next to him, on the couch, complaining of back pain and aching muscles.

"You barely moved a muscle." He commented offhandedly.

Her green eyes glared at him. "You try to carry around this weight, mister, and then talk."

He chose to shut himself up. He gazed fondly at her protruding stomach. "How long?"

Her gaze softened. "We still got about 20 weeks."

He hummed. "That's too long."

"Too long indeed. I have only been pregnant for about 5 months and I want this baby out of me, as soon as possible."

He reclined against the sofa, throwing his head back. "Don't you want to know the gender?"

She inched closer. "I don't know. Do you?"

He shrugged. "No point in waiting for the inevitable."

She nodded. "Plus, it would make it easier to decorate the baby room and buy the clothes and all."

"When is your next appointment?"

"This Monday. Can you make it?" She asked with a hopeful look in her emerald eyes.

The Uchiha smirked. "I haven't missed one yet, have I?"

She smiled and leaned against him, using his chest as a pillow.

He didn't make it.

Sakura fought tears as she waited for him to arrive at the clinic. She tapped her foot against the floor as her eyes continuously darted to the entrance. She did not even know why she was crying, or why did she want to cry, because she knew that there was no way that a multi-billion company CEO could make it to each and every appointment she had scheduled. But this one rendezvous was important, special, and she felt neglected and unwanted.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the hesitant voice of young nurse. "Dr. Uchiha, Dr. Kanai says that she can't wait any longer."

Biting her lip, the rosette nodded her head and eased herself off of the painful plastic chair.

Just as she was exiting the clinic, Sakura's phone vibrated. She glanced at the caller id and hid the phone in her purse. The second time it rang, she turned it off.

She half-expected him to be waiting for her at home. But as she entered through the large wooden door, the house felt as empty as when she first lived in it. She rid herself of her sandals and walked towards the couch, flopping down on it. Her hand went to caress her enlarged stomach and she wondered if her baby could feel her inner turmoil.

"Why-" She choked, "Why did you do this to me, Sasuke?"

As if on cue, the front door swung open. She heard fast footsteps heading her way.

Sasuke appeared in front of her moment later, he looked at her slouched form and frowned.

"I have been calling you, why didn't you answer?"

Her head snapped in her direction. "Really? Are you going to blame me for not answering the phone?"

He ran his hand across his face and sighed. "There was a problem at one of the factories and i-"

"I don't want to hear it." She half-shouted, springing off of the dark sofa. "I don't want to hear any of your sorry excuses."

"Sakura-" he started but was interrupted by her.

"Why did you tell me that you'd make it?"

"Sakura, I was planning on making it. I was held back, I couldn't just leave with the company's greatest income at risk."

The rosette scoffed. "Is that what you care about? The company?" she hissed. "That's a shame really, because I really thought that you give a damn about me and this baby."

"And I do, I really do."

"No, Sasuke. Because if you do, you would have come today."

His hackles seemed to rise as well. "What is your problem? It's not like I missed the birth or something."

She looked him in the eye. "And what if a factory burns or something when I am giving birth?"

His eyes widened. "No, Sakura. You have no right to ask that question."

"I have no righ- You know what forget it. just forget the whole thing." She turned on her heels and marched towards the stairs, she paused at the foot of the stairway and half-turned to him. "Congratulations. You're having a boy."

Things between them were…tense for the next few days. Sakura refused to address the issue and shut him out of anything related to their child, their _son, _or related to her. She barely slips in a good morning and a good night. She was genuinely pissed at him.

He laid his head against the mahogany desk and sighed; it has been a long day and the issues he had at home were not helping.

His phone rang and he resisted the urge to chuck it against the wall and watch it as it crumbles to tiny pieces. He frowned when he spotted his brother's name flash across the screen.

Itachi's voice pierced his ears before he had the chance to slip in a hello.

"You know, not being here when she was admitted I understand, but not coming, once, to check on her is unbelievable."

Sasuke stared at the phone funny before he put it against his ear again. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play innocent with m- wait, you don't know?"

"I don't know _what?_ He was tired of this guessing game his brother was playing.

"Sakura, she's in the hospital."

He rolled his eyes. "Of course, she's in the hospital, she works th-"

The Uchiha froze as he put two and two together. _Admitted? _

"Itachi, what is wrong with Sakura?"

"I don't know, mom called and said that she had a bleeding?"

The young Uchiha sprung off his chair before his brother had the chance to wait for an answer.

He ran past his assistant and dodged employees as he rushed towards the elevator.

"Uchiha Sakura, where is she?"

The baffled receptionist cowered under his intense gaze and fumbled with the computer keyboard to search for his answer.

"Room 344, third floor."

He dashed towards the stairs and made a mad run. He almost kneeled and panted when he came face to face with the desired room. He burst through the door and froze at the sight that met him.

Sakura was lying on a hospital bed with an IV hooked to her arms. His mother paused mid sentence and turned her gaze towards him instead of Mrs. Haruno.

His onyx orbs immediately locked on her _still _enlarged stomach and he almost sighed in relief but he had to make sure first.

Sakura noticed his feral look and clarified quickly. "Sasuke-kun, the baby's fine, I am fine." Even if she claimed that he didn't care about them, she knew that he did.

"M-mom." He choked. "Could you give us a minute?"

Said woman nodded and motioned for Hana to follow her, the red head nodded as well and bypassed him.

He waited for the door to close behind him to take hesitant steps towards the hospital bed.

"Sak- How could you not tell me?"

She shied away from his gaze. "I- I didn-"

"You what, Sakura? How could you not tell me about something like this?"

Her head snapped in his direction. "I was afraid that you would be held back in a meeting."

His eyes widened. "Sakura, you- you can't be serious."

He waited for her to react, but she didn't. "Are you so childish that you'd keep this from me for vendetta? "

"I was going to tell you eventually."

"Evantually? I should have been here from the beginning."

"I am sorry okay?" she shouted. "Just s-stop. I don't need this right now."

He took a deep breath and settled himself next to her. "What happened?"

"I- I almost miscarried. The doctor said that it happens and that is should stay on bed rest and not stress myself."

"Are you, are you two okay now?"

She nodded vigorously. "Sasuke-kun, It was so scary."

He embraced the shaking girl and rubbed comforting circles on her back, murmuring soothing words, when she finally calmed down, he whispered, "Sakura, I know that you think that I don't care, but I do." He started.

"You are going through so much, and I admire that. But at the same time, you need to realize that I can't be there at all times." He brushed her hair off of her hair. "But I'll be there when it counts. I promise."

She opened her mouth to say something but then backed down and smiled instead.

So, their fights will not always be resolved this way, there will be times where the breech is too far to mend with sweet words, but for now she will hold on to his promise.

* * *

I will edit this when I have acess to internet, so don't worry.

I hope you enjoy this, I light not be able to update till late in July.

**Edited on: 18/07/2012, I only now realized how many mistakes I have overlooked, I promised to fix them and I did. Next chapter will be posted soon! I promise.**


	7. reminiscing

I am back with a new chapter, I know that it's been too long but I was away.

anayways, enjoy

note: This chapter is all flashbacks basically.

* * *

Sakura sighed as she placed items that seemed to have not changed position since so long ago. She smiled as she examined a framed photo of herself and her blonde mentor. It was the day of her graduation and Tsunade had just informed her that she will be beginning her internship at Konoha Mercy, the most prestigious hospital in Japan. Sakura was ecstatic and all too eager to begin; she was barely 22 years old at that time, one of the youngest to ever graduate med school. She frowned when another memory came to mind. It was not a few months after she started at Konoha hospital that her father told her of her engagement to Sasuke, a man that she knew nothing about at that time. She had fought the engagement with all of her might, because the independent woman in her saw it as a shackle to her ambitions while the hopeless romantic that hid within her saw it as a barrier in her journey towards a happy ending. What she hated most about Sasuke at that time was that unlike her, he did nothing to stop the marriage; he just accepted it for what it is. She had asked him on their wedding night for the reason of his willingness. He said that he saw no point in fending the inevitable.

She did not share his bed that night, nor did she the next night, or the one after that.

She giggled in the empty room, overwhelmed by nostalgia. After one heck of a successful surgery, Tsunade and she allowed themselves a moment of celebration. The rosette barely touched the Saki but she did not trust herself with both her safety and her mentor's. The alcohol did not cloud her judgment to the extent that she would risk her life by taking an inappropriate mean of transport.

She refused a lift from Tsunade who was just as drunk as she always was and told her that they should call someone. Paranoid as she was, Sakura was adamant about not getting a Taxi at two in the morning.

There was no one to call, it was a week day and thus everyone she knew must be already asleep. Except one, she thought.

Cursing her luck, she let go of a wobbly Chief of surgery to fish out her cell phone. She glared at the number, but was glad that she acquired it nonetheless.

Sakura giggled again. She placed the photo in the box and let her mind wander to a night almost three years ago.

_Flashback_

"_Who…you calling?"_

_Sakura waved off the blonde. The phone rang once, twice and she was met with a grumbled hello._

_She regained her composure as best as she could in her drunken stupor. "Hi."_

"_Sakura?"_

_That told her that he answered the phone omitting to check the caller's id._

"_Y-yeah." Now that she contacted him, she did not know what to say. The tenseness of the moment seemed to sober her up. "Hey, Sasuke; remember me? It's your hateful wife and I need a lift." Was definitely not something she could say._

_Instead, she settled for that last part._

"_You need a lift?" He repeated, voice neither indicating that he was tired from lack of sleep, nor annoyed that he had been awakened at such time. Instead, he used a monotonous tone that let nothing escape. "Where are you?"_

_She paused, unsure of how he would react. "I am at the entrance of a club. With Tsunade."_

_She could hear the tension. There was a long pause before she heard his voice again. _

"_I thought you had a shift at the hospital." He was obviously tying to hold the accusation back._

"_I-" She silenced herself. "Shishou let me off early because of-" The rosette caught herself off and reminded herself that she was explaining herself to a man that she swore to hate. "Look, it's two in the morning, I am freezing my ass off and I need a lift, are you coming or should I call someone else?"_

_She heard him sigh. "Which club?"_

_The rosette did her best to keep her boss from getting into trouble while they waited for her husband._

_A familiar SUV pulled up at the entrance of the Club Du Soir. She ushered Tsunade to head for the car just as Sasuke closed the door. With quick steps, he walked over to them and lessened her load. She winced at the idea of Tsunade, the powerful woman, being supported by Sasuke._

_He gave her a once over after he safely placed her Shishou in the back seat. His eyes lingered on the outfit she wore. She had black short shorts paired with a dark red lace tank over a black tube top with matching pumps and a forward silver clutch._

_He opened her door and walked to his side without a word but the way that his nostrils flared as he examined her was unmistakable._

_The ride was mostly silent. Struggling to grip to soberness, she directed him towards her mentor's place. They did not resume their journey until she made sure that the blonde was safe and sound in her apartment. _

_Sasuke stirred the car towards their residence effortlessly, she was almost certain that they would spend the journey in total silence when his deep voice interrupted._

"_Do you work at the hospital dressed like that?"_

_Her head snapped in his direction, but his obsidian eyes remained glued to the road._

_She contemplated the idea of not replying but then condescended. "I-I changed." She answered eventually. "You weren't home." She added._

_There was no sign that he had heard her._

"_What were you celebrating? Or was it just a night out?"_

_She frowned. "Why do you care? Why are you asking?"_

_His lips snapped open and she anticipated a harsh remark but received none. He pursed them together and stared at the road._

_Sighing, Sakura examined her carefully done nails. "We saved a boy today, he's eight." Her chest swelled with pride. "We thought he was a goner, but we saved him."_

_The Uchiha resisted the urge to smirk. The rosette could have sworn that she saw the corner of his lip twitch._

"_Congratulations."_

_Before she had the chance to reply, he announced that they have arrived. She wondered how she missed the familiar scenery._

_End of flashback_

Sakura inhaled deeply as the fragrant of fresh memories invaded her. That was not the night that they made love either but Sakura liked to believe that that was the night that it all began for them.

_Flashback_

_Bending down to rid herself of her heels, Sakura held on to the stairway for support. Sasuke stood awkwardly, unsure whether to ask her to move. He did not realize that he was standing too close._

"_S-sorry." He grumbled as she flinched away from his chest. The surprise tamed the glare that threatened to cross her face._

"_It's okay." She replied. "Just keep your distance."_

_He took a step back as a token of peace. She frowned and turned to climb the stairs, the fact that her heels still occupied the first step escaped her mind. She yelped as she found herself tumbling back._

_The Uchiha rushed to her aid but, in his haste, he only saved her upper body, leaving her ankle to take the full shock of the fall._

_Sakura screeched, and leaned over to cradle her injured appendage. Sasuke's eyes darted between her face, twisted in agony, and her swelling ankle. He deliberated with himself for a second before sliding his strong arms underneath her back and knees._

_She yelped, once in surprise and then in pain, and clung to his neck instinctively. He ignored her and headed straight to the door._

"_Wait." She exclaimed. "Sasuke, wait." She repeated when her words seemed to fall on deaf ears._

"_I am taking you to the hospital."_

_She pulled at the soft hairs on his neck when he continued his hasty walk till they were almost out of the front door._

_He paused, almost dropping her in surprise. Her green eyes widened as the realization of what she had just done dawned on her._

_She swallowed heavily. For a minute, they stood, with her still in his arms, staring at each other dumbly._

"_I-I" She mumbled to break the silence. "I don't need a hospital." She giggled nervously. "I am a doctor remember?"_

"_You're not an orthopedic surgeon." He insisted._

_She looked around trying to convince him. "Sasuke, it's not broken, I know it's not."_

_He frowned but succumbed to her wishes. He closed the front door using his foot and walked towards the living room._

_With a gentleness that she did not know he possessed, the Uchiha laid her on the crème sofa._

_She adjusted herself carefully, wincing when her ankle pulsed with pain and faced the anxious man._

"_Can you get me my medical kit? It's upstairs, in my ro-"_

_She cut herself off and shied away from his gaze. They, or rather she, had agreed that they would have separate bedrooms, he would not step into her space and vice versa._

"_Where in your room?" he broke the silence._

_The rosette cleared her throat. "In my closet, top shelf."_

_He nodded and scurried off to perform the task. It was only after he left that Sakura realized that she placed her nighttime lingerie. She cursed. She knew that she should have placed them in the drawer._

_Sasuke reappeared moments later, face cool as if he had not witnessed anything at all. But she knew better, there was no way that he could have missed it_

_She cleared her throat again and reached for the kit. Sasuke withdrew it from her reach and almost smirked at the confused then annoyed look that crossed over his face._

"_I'll do it."_

_Her eyebrows disappeared in her hairline and she almost choked on her saliva. "You-you c-can't."_

_He sat himself on the coffee table. "You can tell me what to do."_

_His tone and features indicated that he would not back down. She was touched by his concern, especially since she had been a bitch to him for the few months they've been married._

_She was jerked out of her thoughts when a cold material was applied to her swollen skin. She flinched away from the cool touch._

_The Uchiha frowned and held the appendage in place. "It's just an anti-inflammatory."_

_She cursed herself for forgetting the normal course of procedure that someone has to take in case of a sprained ankle. _

_Red tinted her cheeks as nimble fingers spread the gel on all around her skin. He massaged the injury with great care. Sakura almost whimpered when his touch left her._

_He did not stay away for long as he began to wrap an adhesive bandage around her ankle._

"_That should do it if you're sure it's not broken?"_

_She shook her head hesitantly. "You-you're good at this."_

_Sasuke smirked. "I played soccer and martial arts through middle and high school and college."_

_She was impressed, no wonder the man had such a great body._

"_Did you get injured a lot?"_

"_Not really, just enough to pick up a few things, that's all."_

_She nodded._

"_I'll go get you some ice."_

_He disappeared into the kitchen before she had the chance to react; her husband came back seconds later with an icepack in his hand._

_She wrapped her nimble fingers around his pale wrist. Sasuke looked at her with a questioning look in his eye._

"_I can do it. You've done more than I expected you to, thank you."_

_His lips sunk in a slight frown; she could tell that there was something wrong about what she said. He nodded and placed the frozen material in her palm. Sasuke stood and began to head for the stairs but he stopped just as he was to disappear from her line of vision._

"_Just because you have an unexplainable hate for me, doesn't mean that I would watch you suffer in agony." He faced her. "I'm not like that."_

_End of flashback_

Sakura reached for another item. She dangled her keys in front of her face. Normally, she would not stare at the article with wonder but sudden rush of memories that flooded her evoked another remembrance.

_Flashback_

_Sakura tapped her foot at the floor at the hospital's entrance. It has been almost two weeks since her injury; the pinkette had to resort to Sasuke driving her to and from the hospital. She usually walks but it was impossible to walk with her pained ankle. She had been right and there was no fracture but the muscle was still too stretched._

_She was healing fine but Sasuke insisted on driving her home one last time. She bit the inside of her cheek when their current relationship came to mind, they, or rather she because Sasuke has always been somewhat pleasant, were on civil terms now._

_They talked and even laughed together now. A tap on her shoulder pulled her from her reverie._

"_Excuse me, are you Uchiha Sakura?"_

_Sakura stared at the strange man, she had never seen him before in her life. She nodded, nonetheless._

_The man smiled, relieved, and offered her a small object. She stared dumbly at the keys in her palm._

"_Are you sure you are not mistaken?"_

_He shook his head. "I was specifically told to deliver the keys to you."_

_She narrowed her eyes, suspiciously. "Ordered by whom, exactly?"_

"_Your husband." With that he bowed respectfully and left._

_As if on cue, her phone beeped signaling a text message._

_You needed a car, I got you one. Just take it._

_Sakura was overwhelmed by a whirl of emotions. He had asked for the reason of her lacking of a car and she had told him that hers was totaled in a crash by a friend and she never got around to buying a new one. What she failed to tell him was that, at the moment, her pay barely provided necessities, let alone a car, she refused to rely on her husband, even if said husband was loaded. 18 years of living off of her parent's money were enough._

_She contemplated calling him to refuse the thoughtful and expensive gift but thought against it. He was reaching out, he was doing his part and it was time for her to step up and do hers._

_She pressed the button that would unlock her new car and held back a squeal as a shiny red convertible beeped._

_End of flashback_

It was how it all began for them, one minute she was accepting gifts from him and the other she was kissing him at the door of her bedroom.

_Flashback_

_Sakura stood awkwardly by her bedroom door. Sasuke leisurely stuffed his hands into his dark pants' pockets. He seemed unaffected by the tension that choked Sakura. Sasuke casually asked her for a date and the rosette wondered if he was stoned when he confidently told her that they would be having dinner together at a fancy restaurant. His stature left no room for protest but she had a feeling that she would accept anyway._

_Sakura's eyes drifted to the side. "So, this is the part in the movie where the guy bids the girl goodbye." She mumbled._

_Sasuke smirked and shook his head. "I think you forgot something."_

_Sakura looked at him suspiciously. "What?"_

_He leaned in and she pulled back instinctively. His smirk deepened. "This," he leaned closer, "Is the part where the guy kissed the girl."_

_She barely had time to react before he planted his lips against hers."_

_End of flashback_

Sakura giggled and touched her fingers to her glossed lips. It was so sudden and it ended just as it began. Sasuke stared at her eyes that night and then pecked her lips again, whispering a good night.

On their first year anniversary, it happened.

_Flashback_

"_We've been married for a year." She commented from her position on the couch._

_Sasuke lifted his head to look at her. "I know." He replied._

_There was silence. _

"_You said that you refuse to celebrate something you had no say in."_

_She scowled. "That was a year ago."_

_Sasuke frowned. "I…" he started but changed his mind. "Would you like to do something?"_

_His obsidian eyes caught sight of the time on his laptop; it was already 8 pm, it would be impossible to land a reservation at a respectable restaurant this late or anywhere for that matter._

_He sensed a warm presence in front of him. Sakura squatted in front of him, her hands went to support herself on his knees. _

"_Sasuke, I need to ask you a question."_

_A crease formed above the space between his eyebrows and he nodded to go ahead._

_She swallowed heavily. "In this past year," she started, "have you ever been unfaithful to me? Have you ever, " she paused, "slept with a woman while we were married?"_

_Sasuke bit back a retort because he was insulted. "No." he replied flatly._

_And then, in a movement that surprised him, she smiled._

"_Put the laptop away, Sasuke."_

_End of flashback_

It was unexpected and he sat there frozen for a full minute while the meaning behind her words sunk in. Before, they only went as far as second base. Sasuke's hands went naughty at times, but he mostly remained a gentleman. And something told her that had she not proposed it to him, Sasuke would have never approached her for sex.

"Mrs. Uchiha?"

She twirled on her heels and was met with a familiar face that approached her almost three years ago. She smiled. "Yes, Takeo?"

"If you're ready, I will be driving you home. Mr. Uchiha could not make it."

She pouted. "That man, he knows that I have my car with me."

"He specifically ordered me to drive you home and take any load you may have to carry."

Sakura scowled. "Okay. I only have this box."

He nodded and reached for the card board excusing himself to place the item in the company's car.

Sakura took one last look at the office.

"Leaving?" The receptionist inquired.

Sakura smiled and nodded. "Yup. But I will be back in a few months. So don't slack off." The last part was meant for the interns that gathered around her to bid her farewell.

There was a chorus of laughter and although she would miss the hospital, she did not regret the choice she had made for her family, her husband and the six month old life residing in her.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed that!

I wanted to shed some light on Sasuke's and Sakura's marriage and this was the best way to do it.


	8. Say what?

I tried really hard to get this up before the july 23rd ends but alas, life got in the way.

Anyways, enjoy

and thank you to all those who reviewed, you make me keep going

* * *

It has been a month since Sakura took that retched early maternity leave. She refused at first, arguing that six month was hardly the appropriate time to take the leave and that she could work just fine up until the baby was ready to come out but Sasuke insisted, and the worried look in his eyes settled the deal. He was terrified for her health and the child's. She was too, and she hated for people to think otherwise because of her ambitions. Ever since she was born, her goals were set.

Sakura Haruno wanted to be a doctor since the day she treated the injured foot of a stray cat when she was six, and then she became Sakura Uchiha and she did not know the future of her career

She was surprised at the leniency that Sasuke offered about the requirements of her choice of career, he never protested against the numerous graveyard shifts she had to take when she was a green intern, he didn't mind the sudden calls she would get out of the blue. Heck, she even got called in when they were having sex, once, and he let it slide.

She had never seen that persistence about her job as she did on the day he requested, no ordered, that she take an early maternity leave. She had to say that the almost-miscarriage she had a month earlier scared the wits out of her, but Sasuke seemed to be freaked out on a whole other level. He actually called her on a daily basis to remind her to take her vitamins or drink her milk, and sometimes just to check on her.

Her pregnancy was something neither of them expected or even wanted. After three years of fighting for a marriage that neither of them chose, at the beginning, babies never crossed their minds.

In a way, Sakura was glad that the pregnancy had been unplanned, because, frankly, if it didn't occur as a mistake, she had the impression that the subject would have never been brought up.

Sasuke was definitely getting accustomed to the idea of being a father as the days went by, she could see a change in him every day. He was as ready as someone who has zero experience with children could be. But she was different.

She wanted the baby, she did just as much as she could want anything in this life but the last turn of events evoked new ideas and thoughts in her mind. She has promised herself that night she found out about their baby that she would not lose her identity in the nine months that her journey would last. It seemed that she was already beginning to make sacrifices.

For some reason, she saw herself as the soccer mom that always has something to do, the mom that always has puke stains on her shirt and cereals in her hair because she is too busy caring for her children to care for herself and that terrified her. The idea of never wearing heels again or never visiting a salon again brought a wave of nausea, not because she was a materialistic fashion diva or anything. It was more the fact that those things meant that she would not be the Sakura that she worked so hard to be, she would be Sakura The Mom and that's it.

The rosette leaned against the sofa and rubbed her protruding stomach. Up until now, Sasuke and Sakura did not discuss the subject of children, they were living the days as they come. She had no idea whether he would like another one, maybe even a third one, she had no idea if she herself did.

A mistake, that's what her first child will be and maybe all of her children, if they were to be conceived, will be, because she did not see herself as the woman that would keep track of her ovulation and have sex according to that.

Spontaneity was one of the things she cherished about her relationship with Sasuke after all.

As if on cue, the front door was swung open. The rosette pushed herself off of the couch as best as she could and headed for the entrance of the living room to greet her husband.

He received her kiss and frowned at her stance. She had her hand supporting her back. "Is your back hurting again?"

She shrugged. "I am used to it, now."

He grimaced guiltily. She almost laughed at his expression, he still had the impression that all that was happening to her was his fault.

She smiled. "Did you have dinner yet?"

The Uchiha shook his head, making her smiled broaden. "Come on, I made lasagna."

Instead of drooling at the thought of a hot plate of lasagna, extra tomatoes as he liked it, he frowned. "You shouldn't be tiring yourself, we could have just ordered some takeout."

She waved him off and proceeded to drag him towards the dining room. "Nonsense, I feel bored as it is, you can't take cooking from me too."

Her green orbs tracked the journey of the silver fork as it headed towards her husband's perfect lips. Sasuke paused his eating and placed the silverware back onto the table.

"Why do you keep staring at me?"

She shrugged making him roll his eyes. "Eat your dinner before it gets cold."

She huffed and dug in her plate.

"Seriously, what has gotten into you?"

She remained silent until he was convinced that she would not answer but then her hesitant voice broke through the dining room.

"Do you think I changed?"

Sasuke frowned, obviously confused. "Changed? Changed how?"

"You know, the way I dress, the way I am." She elaborated.

Sasuke squared his jaw thoughtfully. "I think that the changes, however there, were not drastic, all to accommodate your pregnancy."

Sakura chuckled nervously, abandoning her food to play with the hem of her sweat shirt. "That's the thing, what…what if, don't get me wrong, what if the pregnant me is not…me?"

"You know what I think about women?"

Sakura shook her head.

"I think that they were made to accommodate all roles in life, at the same time, a woman can be a wife, a mother, a teacher a doctor all at the same time." He explained. "And then there is that small part that allows her to be just a woman, and how well that part is kept is up to the woman herself." In a rare display of affection, he reached for her hand across the table. "And I think that if there is anyone on this planet that can remain true to herself, through hell or high water, it is you, Sakura."

Her emerald orbs sparkled with wonder; did her husband really say that, the sweetest, gentlest words she had ever heard?

"Sasuke, that's…" She could not even begin to find the words to describe what she was feeling.

"Eat up." He ordered gently.

A week later, Sakura found herself in the most stunning knee-length evening gown that she could find, celebrating her husband's 27th birthday in the Uchiha's manor, Sasuke was adamant about not celebrating but Sakura being Sakura insisted on having at least a small dinner with family. She failed to see how Karin is included in the Family category.

She did not let the presence of the red head somber her mood, though. She danced, as best as she could with her protruding belly, with her husband and then laughed through the joke of a waltz she had with her brother in-law.

Sakura did not feel her mood darken until the vile thing people called Karin seated itself next to her.

"You look like you are having fun."

Sakura remained cheerful nonetheless. "I am." She replied.

Karin seemed to be annoyed by Sakura's giddy attitude. "I see your stomach is not getting any smaller."

Sakura snorted. "It would be weird if it did, even you should know that."

Karin frowned when her remark failed to hit home but she pressed on. "You used to pride yourself in maintaining a perfect hourglass figure, I guess that's gone, now." She sighed dramatically.

Her reddish orbs widened when a sharp laughter reached her ears. "What's so funny about what I said?"

Sakura waved her off. "You're right, my figure is long gone, but I can diet, I can exercise." Sakura gave her a once over. "There's nothing we can do about you, though."

Karin snorted.

"Tell me, are you so desperate that you would try to insult me and my body? What's next, are you going to run to Sasuke and tell him, I am fat?" Sakura laughed and stood. "I am sure that'll win him over for you."

Sakura paused and added as an afterthought. "I saw you leave the OB/GYN clinic yesterday." She smirked lewdly. "Your whoring around finally caught up to you?"

The red head scoffed. "If you must know, I make sure to check myself on a regular basis."

"Yeah, you do that." Sakura agreed. "You know, on the contrary to popular belief, redheads are the most likely to catch STDs, not blondes." Sakura inwardly cackled at the expression that crossed her rival's face. "Statistically speaking, of course. Keep that in mind."

With that, the rosette walked –waddled really- away, she was intercepted by her mother in law.

"What was that about?"

Sakura shrugged. "I just gave her something to fret about, I am sure she'll settle down once she realizes that STDs have nothing to do with hair color."

She laughed at her mother-in-law's befuddled expression; it was about time that the red head was stopped at her limits.

It was one in the morning when Sakura slipped out of her flat sandals, leaning on her husband for support.

"Was it too much for you?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I am just glad that it is over."

Sasuke nodded guiding her towards the couch. "You shouldn't have tired yourself out. It would have been fine if it was just you and me."

Sakura laughed. "You mean it would have been fine if it was just you, me and the bedroom."

Sasuke snorted and pulled her to lay her head on his lap. His fingers stroked her pink locks and she purred appreciatively. "That works, too." He replied with a mischievous look in his eyes.

The rosette sighed and straightened. "Sasuke…" She started. "You know, that I, I just don't feel up to it these days."

Sasuke sighed as well. "I know."

"Sasuke." She placed her hand on his knee, urging him to look at her, when he refused she attempted to lighten the mood. "I just don't see what you find sexy or even mildly attractive in me when I look like this." She pointed at her enlarged stomach for emphasis.

Sasuke's larger hand covered her own on his knee. "Everything, don't you forget that."

The rosette blushed and lowered her head. He cupped her chin forcing her to look his way.

"Sakura, I know that you think that your pregnancy changed you, but it has not, in anyway, changed the way I feel about you."

His wife smiled and nodded cheerfully and leaned back against his chest.

Sakura fixed her clothes on the exam table, pulling her blouse over her enlarged belly, and accepted the hand that the doctor offered her to descend.

"I am happy to see that last time's episode did not happen again, are you keeping down the stress?"

Sakura nodded. "Yeah, I am trying to stay away from any tiring activity."

"Good, good." She assured. "Are you taking your vitamins?"

"Sasuke makes sure that I do, don't worry." She grumbled.

The young obstetrician laughed. "I am glad that your husband is being helpful, spousal support is essential in every pregnancy."

Despite her annoyance, Sakura smiled.

"Just a reminder, you are due on September 23rd, so make sure to stay calm and happy till then, our next appointment will be three weeks from now, take care."

Sakura smiled and left her seat, bidding her friend and physician goodbye.

She froze in her tracks when she spotted a familiar redhead sitting on one of the chairs in the waiting room with a magazine on her lap.

Sakura narrowed her eyes and walked over to her. Karin raised her head when Sakura's shadow obscured her vision.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?"

The redhead, clad in peasant top and mini shorts, gaped at her. "Excuse me?"

Sakura scoffed. "Periodic appointments and baggy tops, you're as knocked up as one could be." Sakura commented recalling the dress that the redhead chose on her husband's birthday.

Karin looked away. "It's none of your business." She hissed.

Sakura debated with herself then sat next to her.

"I said it's none of your business, now leave."

"Is it a boyfriend?"

"No, it's not." She snapped. "It was a one night stand, are you happy? Now, go gloat somewhere else."

Sakura pursed her lips. "I don't particularly like you, but I wouldn't wish for anyone to go through this, "she pointed at her stomach for emphasis, "alone. Good luck to you."

Sakura stood to leave. She took no more than three steps when the Karin's remark froze her in her spot.

"I am aware that I no longer have any chance with Sasuke, now. You can have him, I guess I'll have to suffice with the two months we had."

Sakura struggled to find her footing. It suddenly seemed like gravity cannot hold her to the ground anymore. A nurse rushed to her side when she swayed on her feet. The rosette waved off the help and shakily turned to face her rival.

"I-I, wha-" She held her hand to her head. "What _the hell are you talking about?_"

Karin crossed her legs victoriously kept her eyes on the magazine as if nothing took place in the past few minutes.

"You didn't know? Sasuke and I, prior to you marriage of course, had a _fiery _relationship." She put a finger to her chin. "I thought he told you."

Sakura opened her mouth to respond but found herself unable to when and excruciating pain travelled from her belly to all over her body. She sobbed when she was hit with another wave of hurt. The nurse that rushed earlier to her side cried for help while Karin watched freaked out.

Sakura awoke at the sound of a beeping sound. A strong smell drifted from all around her, her memory told her that it was antiseptic suggesting that she was in a hospital.

She tried to sit up when a firm grip held her back to the bed, she turned her head to see her husband's worried face.

In the split second that it took her to recall the events that took place she tried to lean into him. Her eyes widened when she remembered the reason for her hospitalization.

"Th-the baby, Sasuke."

"Shh." He assured. "He's fine."

She looked at her bloated stomach and almost sighed in relief.

"How are you feeling?"

Sakura continued to stare at the white walls. When his hand traveled to her chin make her look at him, she flinched away.

She glared at his confused expression.

"Get out!"

* * *

I love cliffhangers!

I hope you liked the chapter, however short.


	9. Mad at you

Since you all suffered from the cliffie that I left you hanging from last chapter, I updated fast.

Enjoy!

Warning: Cursing and Super OOC Sasuke but then again it is AU so I am free to do as I please

* * *

Sasuke stared, baffled, at his wife with his mouth almost hanging open. His eyes drifted to the hand she has just pushed away.

He reached for her again. "Sak-"

"I said get out!" The rosette went as far as to sit up, despite her condition, and inch away to remove herself from his grasps.

"Sakura, I don't understand." He defended. "Sit down, you still haven't passed the critical stage."

Sakura huffed. "You can thank your slut of a girlfriend for that."

Sasuke's panicked eyes drifted towards the machine that began to speed its beeping. A nurse will be here soon if he fails to calm her down.

"Girlfriend? Sakura, is that what this is about? I thought we were over that."

She used her hand to support her back and eased herself off of the hospital bed.

"Over it?" She palmed her face to dry away her tears. "You should have told me, Sasuke."

"Told you what?" The Uchiha snapped. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"You and that bitch."

"Who?" He could not believe that they were back at the same broken record, it took them three years to get to where they are now.

"You and Karin."

He sighed. "I told you hundreds of times that she and I have nothing going on."

She scoffed. "But you did, didn't you?"

"What are you talking about you?"

When the weight of the situation dawned on her scrawny shoulders, she was forced to take a seat on the hospital bed.

"In the name of all that we lived together, in the name of our son, do not lie to me. Did you or did you not have a relationship before our marriage?"

Sasuke's eyes widened. "That's…how-"

"Did you sleep with her?" She interrupted.

Sasuke ran his hand over his face and sighed. "How did you know?"

His wife slouched further on the bed. "You're not denying it."

"It was a long time ago, Sakura." He reached for her but her resistance remained.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It, it was unimportant and old, it-" He caught himself off. "Is that why you had to be brought her? Did she tell you?"

She looked away. "I need to be alone, please leave."

"Sak-"

"Sasuke, please."

He sighed, defeated, and nodded his head. At the door, he turned and said, "I will be back later, though."

The door slammed shut and the rosette collapsed. She told herself exactly what he told her, that it was old and unimportant and that it was nothing but she still ached for some reason. She cupped her stomach and whispered. "I am sorry, baby. I am sorry I am putting you through this."

Sasuke slipped into the waiting room and was immediately assaulted by the concerned members of his family. He ignored them in favor of zeroing in on the slouched form of the redhead in a secluded corner of the room.

"What exactly are you made of?"

His mother's gaze travelled between the two of them. "Sasuke?"

He side-stepped his mother to stand in front of Karin. She looked up at him with a panicked look in his eyes.

"You wouldn't settle until you destroyed everything?"

"I-I, "

"You what?" He shouted, drawing the attention of his and his wife's family. "Why the fuck would you tell her something like that?"

"I, I didn't know that, that that would happen, I was ju-"

"You didn't know? She could have lost the baby. Something could have happened to her, you idiot."

"Sasuke," His father started. "What has gotten into you? What does Karin have to do with this?"

The youngest Uchiha held his hand up. "Get out of here. Get out of my life; I don't want to see you ever again."

"Sa-"

"I said get the fuck out!"

Her reddish eyes watered and she picked up her bag, scurrying out of the room.

Sasuke's chest heaved with unconcealed rage. His mother walked over to him.

"Honey, what happened? What did she do?"

Sasuke ignored her and stared at his father. "I don't care whose daughter she is. I don't care about her last name; I don't want to see her ever again. Not in your house and definitely not in mine."

"Why are you so angry at her?"

"Her fucking stupidity nearly cost me my wife, my son. She's a damn plague."

"Okay, calm down." Mikoto pacified.

"Did Sakura wake up?" Seizing the opportunity to inquire about her daughter, Hana asked.

"Yes." He answered, calming down, "But thanks to that damn epidemic, she would not talk to me or even let me be in the same room."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "She told her?"

Sasuke sighed and nodded. "Sakura must have taken it to the heart, talk to her oba-san, she needs to be with someone and obviously she won't let me."

The redhead nodded and ushered her husband into the room leaving the Uchihas to discuss the matter at hand.

"Everything we've worked so hard to build is gone, shattered because of her."

Mikoto took a seat next to her youngest son and placed her hand on his knee comfortingly. "Did you have a relationship with her?"

Sasuke exhaled heavily. "Something like that, but it was long before I even knew who Sakura was." He defended. "It's not like I cheated on her."

"Sasuke," His mother started in a berating tone, "Sakura's pregnant and she is in a very delicate stage. She is due soon and her hormones _and _emotions are all over the place, you can't expect her to swallow this easily."

The young husband shook his head. " I don't think this is one of those, she's genuinely pissed at me."

He smoothed his pants and stood. "You guys should go check on her so you can go home."

"Are you staying?" Itachi inquired.

"Yeah. She won't be discharged till tomorrow, so…" He trailed off, suggesting that he will spend the night.

On their way to the living room, Itachi patted him on the back. "You will get through this, you always do."

Sasuke nodded but, as he sat alone in the waiting room, he had trouble believing what he said. Over the three years they've been married they have witnessed hell and high water.

There were times when the rosette would lose her temper to the point that she would take their fights to a physical level where should throw slaps or even punches.

But there was something about the way she looked at him earlier, the way that her eyes watered with betrayal. She gazed at him as if he stabbed her back when she had so trustingly turned it to him.

Sasuke ran his hand over his face. It took him so long to convince her to trust him and start a real relationship. The months that followed their first kiss, their first night together, were hard. Although, she agreed to give them a chance she was still apprehensive about giving herself completely, her suspicions became downright aggravating.

Karin has always been part of the equation since she made it clear that something as mundane as an arranged marriage would not stop her. But, at last, Sasuke managed to convince Sakura that he was one hundred percent committed to their relationship.

He sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day and stood to head towards his wife's hospital room.

He cracked the door open and was pleased that the rosette was sleeping. He glanced at the clock. Visiting hours have long since passed but he managed to convince Tsunade to let him spend the night with her.

He quietly dropped himself on the bedside chair and studied her appearance. She had a troubled look on her face despite her being asleep. Sasuke's hand smoothed the creased on her forehead, careful not to wake her. The rosette stirred but remained asleep. His charcoal eyes travelled to her enlarged belly.

She would be delivering in less than two months and he was adamant about making what remained of their journey as easy as possible but he seemed to be failing miserably.

It felt like everything has been going downhill since that night over 7 months ago. Until this day, the paradox of emotions that invaded his being in the span of five minutes confused him. One minute he was making it clear to his father that there was no way that he would give him a grandchild anytime soon and the next he was running his hand over his wife's flat belly welcoming the being that occupied such little space.

There was nothing in this world that he wanted more in this world than to rouse the sleeping beauty and tell her that he loved her but he was sure that that would only serve to make matters much worse.

He resisted the edge to bang his head against the wall. How could he have even a dalliance with that _creature _when he knew that she was nothing but trouble?

Morning came before he managed to get two hours of sleep, his biological clock alerted him that it was morning as soon as the earliest rays of sun hit his face.

He blinked a couple of times to adjust to the lighting. His body ached from the position he slept in.

His eyes widened when they landed on his wife. She was sitting sideways on the bed looking as fresh as someone could look after spending the night in the hospital.

"You shouldn't have bothered to stay." Was the first thing she said to him.

He arched an eyebrow and forwent the urge to ask her if she was serious, instead he said, "No good morning?"

The rosette turned her head, robotically, to stare at him. "Good morning." She stated coldly, it lacked the usual cheerfulness that she would put in her every day greetings.

"Good morning. Are you ready?"

"I was waiting for you to wake up." She replied. "You sure took your time." Sakura added as an afterthought.

The Uchiha glanced at his watch. He rolled his eyes. "It's six thirty. I doubt the receptionist is in."

Sakura scoffed. "This is an emergency hospital; the staff is here at all times. If you're done with small talk I would like to go home."

He squared his jaw and stood. His muscles ached but he refrained from stretching his back; he extended his hand to help her step down from the bed but the rosette pointedly ignored it.

They commenced their trek home as soon as the discharge papers were submitted. Silence roamed the car and Sakura purposely avoided his gaze.

She ignored him even when they headed towards their room. She refused to glance at him when he stripped out of his yesterday clothes and then headed for the bathroom.

Sasuke emerged from the walk in closet in a dark business suit after his shower and clicked his tongue when he noticed that Sakura was missing from the room.

He descended the stairs and heard noises coming from the kitchen. He found her taking care of the messy dishes they left last night.

The Uchiha sighed and headed towards the sink. "Leave it."

She flinched, surprised that he was there, but she refused to do as he told.

The Uchiha rolled his eyes and took a step forward, ceasing her movement with his own hands. "Sakura, leave it."

She held her elbows up and freed her waist from his grip. "Don't touch me please."

"Sakura!" He exclaimed. "This is ridiculous."

She continued to rinse as if he hadn't spoken at all.

"Dammit, Sakura."

That got her to stop. "Don't you yell at me, Sasuke."

"Then stop what you are doing and go rest."

"It's none of your business."

"The hell it isn't." He fought to regain control of his nerves. "Look, Sakura. Go rest, not because I told you to, but it is our son's life that you are risking and yours."

She paused and leaned against the sink. Without a word she turned and headed for the living room. Sasuke followed her.

"I have to go to work. You just rest and let me know if there's anything you need."

Sakura chose to ignore him as headed towards the front door.

Sasuke returned in the late hours of the evening feeling as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. The fact that his wife would not welcome him with kind words and open arms irritated him further.

He climbed the agonizing steps that would lead him to his and Sakura's shared bedroom. It was dark in the house, all light turned off, and he hoped beyond hope that she heeded his advice and rested.

He nudged the door open and was met with a sight that stopped him dead in his tracks.

Sakura froze when she saw him. her eyes locked with his for a millisecond before his charcoal orbs travelled to inspect the objects in her hand.

"What are you doing, Sakura?"

She swallowed heavily and looked at the pillow and blanket in her hand. "I…I am going to sleep in the guest room but I wanted to take my pillow with me, so…"

He stalked over to her and seized her wrist. "This is ridiculous." It felt like the tenth time that he repeated that sentence. "Stop this."

She shied away from his gaze. "Sasuke, let go of me."

"No, not until you stop this nonsense." The Uchiha exclaimed. "I admit that I screw-"

"Yes!" She shouted. "You screwed up, so let me go."

"Saku-"

The rosette yanked her hand away from his grip. "Don't you Sakura me, I ca-can't be with you right, now. I can't sleep in the same bed with you, I just can't so don't ask that of me."

He was taken aback by the sheer resentment that crossed over her face, her eyes watered and he realized that she was genuinely unable to occupy the same room as him. He dropped her wrist."

"Go back to bed." He held his hand up before she had the chance to object. "I'll go. Go back to bed."

Sakura's eyes widened. "You do-, you don't have to do that."

"Yes, I do. Rest."

She sighed and nodded walking back to the empty large bed. The Uchiha glanced at her then headed towards the closet to fish out some sleepwear.

Despite the comfortable quality and size of the bed in the guestroom, Sasuke found himself unable to sleep; he wondered if his wife dozed off peacefully or was suffering the effects of insomnia as he was. The responsible part of him wished it to be the former- because she is pregnant and needs her rest, he told himself- and the other part of him wished it to be the latter so she could get tired of this cold treatment charade and forgive him.

He cursed soundlessly and covered his face with the pillow hoping that the clutches of sleep would claim him. Just as he was about to throw the cushion away from his face he heard the door creak open. His first instinct was to close his eyes and pretend to sleep. The rosette attempted to tiptoe around the room but the enlargement of her belly proved that task to be impossible.

He sensed her hesitate by his bed, she seemed to come to a decision when he felt the material of the light blanket sliding up on his bare skin. She tucked the cover under his chin like she would do a child and retreated out of the room. Sasuke cracked an eye open when he was sure that she left. A soft smirk painted itself on his face.

_The mind gets angry, but the heart still cares._

But things went downhill after that one incident. She stopped talking to him, only uttering curt words when it was absolutely necessary. As her due date approached, her treatment to him cooled further.

As a token of peace, Sasuke began to insist on following her to every appointment she had, that seemed to further irritate her.

On a warm Tuesday afternoon, Sasuke found himself sitting on a chair in the waiting room surrounded by women when a hand tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned his head and came eye to eye with honey orbs. He nodded his head faintly in greeting.

"Still pissed at you?" The chief of surgery at Konoha Mercy hospital asked, taking a seat next to him.

He rolled his eyes and nodded.

The older woman sighed. "Ah, Sakura's ex-colleague, he was intern, the guy made a fine cardiothoracic surgeon, he transferred about two years ago."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "And that concerns me how?"

Tsunade chuckled and stood. With her back turned to him, she said, "They dated for about 5 months, they broke it off a two days before the wedding."

Sasuke stared, appalled, at her retreating back. The info would have sounded strange to anyone else but not to Sasuke.

Tsunade was not ratting her out; she was giving him what he needed to solve the issue between them.

He did nothing out of the usual as he silently followed her through their home. When she noticed that he wasn't leaving, she looked at him over her shoulder.

"Aren't you leaving?" The question would have sounded innocent, had she not used that acidic tone.

He ignored her and leaned against the dresser.

"You're a hypocrite." He finally said.

The rosette dropped the everyday wear she picked. "Excuse me?"

Sasuke pushed himself off of the hard surface and approached her. "Exactly what you heard. You're a hypocrite."

"And you're being childish, so stop it." She resumed her task but was stopped by his next comment.

"What was his name, Sakura?" He asked coolly, his hand playing with a perfume of hers.

Her arms went akimbo. "What are you talking about?"

He huffed. "Mr. Cardiothoracic surgeoun."

The young Uchiha was almost satisfied by the look of utter shock that crossed over her face, her mouth dropped but no words came out.

"Well, I suppose three years is long enough to forget about someone."

She lowered her head. "What Kai and I had is not the same as you and Karin. Those are two different matters."

Sasuke scoffed. "Sure they aren't. You had a relationship with him and you ended it solely because you were _told _to marry him." He hissed. "For all I know, your feelings for him might still occupy a part of you."

"Now, you're just talking nonsense."

"Nonsense? Nonsense is what you are doing right now, Karin meant nothing to me, what she and I had was exactly what two adults with no established relationship would do, we fucked." He snapped. "Is that what you wanted to hear? It was not a relationship and it was solely based on sex."

Sakura's eyes widened. She knew that her husband was not an angel but he has never spoken to her in words less than proper and elegant, she never knew the crass side of him.

"You're blaming me for not telling you, well let me ask you this, why didn't you tell me about this Kai guy?"

She sputtered. "T-that's different, it's not the same."

"The hell it isn't! I'll tell you why, at first it wasn't my business and then when it was you couldn't find the words to say it, am I right?"

"N-no."

He approached her further. "Yes, and you know it." the Uchiha sighed. "Look, Sakura. At first, you and i were basically roommates, we shared nothing , we barely even talked and then we…that changed and what was I supposed to say?" He looked at her with such sincerity in his eyes that she just had to look away.

"Hey, Sakura, remember that redhead you hate so much? Yeah, we slept together? "

Sakura had to bite her lip t keep herself from laughing and gesture did not go unnoticed by Sasuke.

"I don't, I don't want us to be like this when he comes, Sakura." Cautiously, he reached for her belly, she flinched but complied. The Uchiha marveled at the sensations that the simple action evoked in him, it has been two months since he has been so close to his son.

With his free hand, he cupped her face, urging her to look at him."I hate sleeping away from you and god, I sound so cheesy!"

Despite herself, she giggled.

"I don't like waking up away from you. I don't care who you dated, I don't care what you shared or didn't share." He confessed. "All that matters to me is that you are mine now, as I am yours and all the people that were in our lives before don't matter."

She opened her mouth to reply, but her lips froze mid action. She gasped loudly, bending at the waist. Sasuke was quick to catch her.

"Sakura, what, did I do something?"

She furiously shook her head and gazed, pain in her eyes, at him.

"Sasuke," She ground out, "My water just broke."

It was then that he noticed the puddle that began to form at their feet.

* * *

HAHAHA! I am evil.

anyways, I hope you enjoyed that and expect the last chapter to be up soon (sighs) another story that seems to end too soon.

Notes: I was listening to Adele at the beginning then I switched to Cascada and Kesha which is why it seems like I changed moods through the story.

ps. I seem to have grown attached to Prince Charming and I am unable to get over it, that is why I would like you to know that I am receiving Prince Charming extra requests.

I'll elaborate, if there is part that you would like to shed some light on or an idea that you wanted to be executed in PC just send it to me and I'll do my best. The genre doesn't matter, as long as it is not Tragedy.

Rules: I will only be receiving three request per time, via reviews to this story, First comes pregnancy then comes parenthood, which means that if three reviewers have submitted their requests you will have to wait until those requests are fulfilled.

To abide by FFN's new rules, no lemons allowed.

I will publish the request I received in a seperate entry called Prince Charming extra, and I will dedicate each chapter to its requester, hurry and send your requests.

ps2. If you haven't read PC already, please do!


	10. A journey ends, another begins

This is it, folks. The last chapter.

Enjoy!

* * *

Coal eyes scanned the frail, unconscious body on the fragile hospital bed. They landed on what used to be her protruding belly and narrowed with sadness upon noticing the flatness of it that they have not seen in 9 months.

The owner of said eyes sighed heavily and flopped down, with unusual gracelessness, on the bedside chair.

His pale hand reached, hesitantly, and stroked her rose locks, matted to her neck and shoulders. A small tube, held up by both of her ears, supplied her with the amount f oxygen that was necessary for her survival while a needle pricked her arm to provide passage for nutrition dripping from the IV hanging by her bed.

For the first time in long years, Sasuke Uchiha found himself holding back tears at the state that his wife is in.

The words that were hurriedly exchanged in the delivering room still rang in his heavy head. The doctors shouted, spoke in terms that were unfamiliar to him, the words that he managed to catch were vague but he still understood the general meaning if them, his family was in danger.

"_Danger…umbilical cord…wrapped…neck"_

"_C-section…necessary…slow heartbeat…vital signs are dropping."_

"_SHE'S CRASHING."_

Sasuke held his head in his palms. The machine to his side emitted slow and steady beeps that assured that Sakura was alive, maybe not well, but alive.

He was chased out of the room the moment that Sakura's hand loosened its vice tight grip on his whitening hand.

She was transferred to the operating room for an emergency C-section when her heartbeat went into a rushed frenzy while that of their son turned dangerously slow.

From what he understood, the cord that was supposed to feed their son wrapped around his fragile neck, trapping his breathing and making his delivery difficult.

The doctor commented that the situation was too tricky to handle with invasive maneuvers. Dr. Kanai attempted to cut the cord as best as she could with the baby still in Sakura's womb but she failed and concluded that the best way to proceed was to perform surgery. That's when Sakura's eyes rolled into the back of her head.

A vicious battle took place in Sasuke's head. Guilt ate at his insides. Maybe he shouldn't have engaged them in that heated argument when she was in such delicate state.

He _knew _that her pregnancy was far from smooth. She was never out of danger and he was supposed to be crab walking around her but he failed.

He pulled at his hair, exasperated at himself and his foolish behavior. He was desperate to make her forgive him and he knew that this time, there was no Karin, he had no one to blame for his wife's state but himself and his impatience.

If he had waited few more days, a week, if he held his tongue and took her cold treatment, knowing that she was easily provoked, maybe the delivery would have went by smoothly and they would be smiling down on their boy right now.

He reached for the sleeping rosette again and grabbed her cool hand. "I wish you could see our son, Sakura. He is so beautiful." A smile drew itself on his face. "He has a dark tuff of hair on his pink head, I still haven't seen his eyes." He chuckled. "I guess we'll have to wait for you."

The rosette remained unresponsive, not that he had expected any different. Her chest rose with every breath she took and he was glad for the rhythmic movement.

"When I was twenty, my mom started talking to me about children, I was freaked out to the say the least and I was adamant about staying childless for the rest of my life." The Uchiha confessed. "She laughed at me and said that I would understand when I hold my first child. Man, was she right."

Despite the circumstances that his child was delivered to him in, Sasuke could not help the surge of pride that embedded itself in his being when the hours old baby yawned in his arms.

The baby pulled through excellently, the doctor said. There was no damage to his tiny body or organs. He was well above average when it came to weight and his lungs were not affected by the complications that took place.

Sasuke found himself torn between his desire to further acquaint himself with his son and that to be with his wife. He finally left him in his grandparents' grip and locked himself in the recovery room.

"We never really agreed on a name, have we?" He remembered. " I guess we were too caught up with everything." A furrow presented itself on his forehead as he thought about the subject. "I do recall that you wanted something that would stand out."

His onyx jewels snapped over to her sleeping form when his keen ears caught the sound of a small moan. He tightened his grip on her hand.

"Sakura." He called softly. "It's me."

Her lids twitched and her rose lips moved in a soft grunting. Moments later, he was met by the sight of the green eyes he came to adore.

"Hey." He whispered. "Sakura."

The rosette seemed to be dazed and simply nodded her head in acknowledgment. Her eyes zeroed in on her flat belly. Sakura's frantic eyes searched his for an answer.

"He's fine." He was quick to answer. "Nursery."

She exhaled in relief and winced when the gesture irritated her healing incision.

A pale hand smoothed the wrinkles on her forehead warmly. "It's been killing me, the wait, I mean."

She nodded again. "They must have used some pretty strong anesthesia." She croaked, voice raspy, but Sasuke was glad to hear her voice nonetheless.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I've just been hit by a bus." She replied bluntly making him chuckled.

"I'll call the doctor."

Just as he was about to stand a hand shot out to wrap around his wrist. "Wait." She exclaimed and flinched when her body protested against the sudden movement.

"Just…just stay."

He nodded and sat back on the bedside chair. The Uchiha lowered his head and held her hand.

"I am sorry." He whispered, so low that she almost missed it.

The rosette remained silent for what seemed like an eternity, he feared that she was contemplating the refusal of his apology and he berated himself for bringing up the subject.

"Two months ago," She started making him snap his head up to look at her, "Dr. Kanai informed me that my uterus holds a…hostile environment."

Sasuke's eyebrows almost disappeared in his hairline at the new piece of information; he nodded his head, silently telling her to go on.

"It has to do with my hormones, she said that I should find no trouble in conceiving again, but."

There was always that but, huh?

"It will always be tricky; I'll always be in danger of miscarrying."

Sasuke reclined back in his seat, finding the revelation hard to swallow. Sakura tightened her grip on his hand.

"I just…I just wanted to tell you that it…this wasn't your fault."

"I…" he opened his mouth but found himself unable to articulate any correct sentence so he closed it again.

"I…I should have told you, about this, about Kai, I kept a lot of things from you and I am sorry." She looked him in the eye. "What I did is bad and it doesn't make what you did any better, but I guess that I can accept it as the past and move on. You should too." she added that last part as an afterthought.

Sasuke simply nodded his head. They were putting what happened behind them and he found no reason to further complicate things. Perhaps one day, he would open the subject with her, when she is not so fragile, but until then he will keep his mouth shut and accept his life for what it is.

"I'll bring you the baby."

Once again, he was stopped just as he was about to leave.

"I probably should rest first." She stuttered.

He narrowed his eyes and swung the door back to its rightful place. He approached her.

"You're nervous." The way he said it made it clear that it was a statement, not a question.

Sakura looked away. "O-of course not, I, I…" she looked around the room trying to search for an excuse and then surrendered. "I am nervous."

Sasuke chuckled. "You're nervous of meeting your own son."

She fixed him with a sharp glare. "Don't judge. I, I just, the idea of being a parent, it…" she trailed of unable to form the correct words.

"It just sunk in?" he supplied helpfully.

She sighed dejectedly and nodded.

Sasuke processed her confession. He wasn't much different. He thought that parenthood was what came after those unnerving nine months. The young Uchiha was under the impression that he has time to habituate himself with what it takes to be a parent, a father. But he was wrong, looking back at the journey that he and his wife have crossed, he is sure of that, that he is wrong. Fatherhood started the day that he found Sakura seated on the toilet seat with a plastic stick in her hand while he argued on the phone with his father.

The journey began there, it started when their child was conceived because pregnancy, with all the sufferance that it entailed, was only a fragment of a much bigger picture, parenthood.

That thought should scare him and it did a little, the idea that what they've been through connate compare to the years that will come is frightening. But he was ready; at least he thought he was.

He had a feeling that there is nothing in this vast world that could prepare anyone for the fiasco that is parenthood. It is not supposed to be easy; it is not supposed to be effortless.

The minute he held the infant in his arms, the image of a toddler taking his first steps came to mind, flashes moved through his head making him smile.

The Uchiha smiled again and his wife stared bizarrely at him.

"You're afraid and that's alright, you have a lifetime to get used to it."

That's right, the fear does not go away, the fear is always there, no matter how old the child is, the parents just get better at handling it.

He stood. "Just hold him, you'll see."

He stood again and stopped by the door. "Senshi, that's his name."

Sakura frowned. "Warrior?"

Sasuke smirked. "He survived a hostile uterus, didn't he?"

He ducked his head out of the room, barely soon enough to avoid the string of colorful words that escaped her mouth.

**Four years later**

**Epilogue**

"Shi-chan, wait for me." A rosette called after a child that was energetically following his running puppy. She paused and put her hands on his hip.

"You know, your father only agreed to get you the puppy because you promised to behave, Senshi." Her words went ignored. "He can always take it back.

That made the dark haired freeze in his tracks, circling his arms around the Labrador puppy protectively.

"No." he shouted in his childish, high-pitched voice.

She smiled cunningly. "Behave, then."

The child sighed dejectedly and walked towards his mother, the dog following suit.

He placed the reins in his mother's outstretched hand. " 'Kay, mommy."

Sakura's heart sank, she hated it when that disappointment look that crossed over his face and sadness drowned his emerald eyes but she held her foot down. This was a public place and she could not have her four year old son, running around a park crowded with people, no matter how precocious her baby was.

"Sakura?"

The rosette turned as her name was called, her green orbs widened when they landed on a slim red head.

"Karin?" She replied, cautiously. Her hair was longer, and she was not dressed in one of her obnoxiously short dresses, rather in a pale yellow sundress that suited her well, but Sakura was positive that it was her.

The redhead nodded. "How long has it been? Three years?"

"Four." Sakura rectified. Karin kept her distance and never crossed paths with the Uchiha couple again. She heard from Mikoto that she joined her parents in the states, something about starting fresh.

"Is that your son?"

Sakura nodded and looked at the little girl with reddish brown hair, she was shyly holding on to her Karin's dress.

"This is Senshi. Is that your daughter?"

Karin smiled proudly and nodded. "Maya, say hi."

The girl cautiously revealed herself from behind her mother's leg and shook both Sakura's and Shi's hand.

"So are you back in town?"

Karin smiled knowing the double meaning of the seemingly innocent question. "Yeah, moving in with my fiancé."

Sakura's eyes widened. "o-oh, is that so? Congratulation, then."

"Thanks, it was nice bumping into you, maybe we can schedule a play date sometime?"

The redhead shot a pointed look at the children that kept smiling at each other. Sakura chuckled an nodded.

"That would be good, see you around."

Shi waved at the Maya as she and Karin walked away. Sakura sighed.

"What do you know? Time can change anyone."

The rosette waved off the confused look that her boy shot her and held his hand in her free hand.

"Come on, Daddy promised to buy us ice cream."

That was all it took for the boy to start jumping up and down again. The rosette rubbed her barely visible bump.

To think that they have another monster on the way.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed that. Thanks to all reviewers, your words encourage me to do better.

I think I am going to tackle a cannon-verse fic after this one, I looked back at my stories and noticed that the majority of them is AU, I have a couple of ideas swimming through my head and I'll see which one I'll use.

Ps. I'd like to remind you that if you want any Prince Charming extra send me a request, either by PM or review to the original story (Prince Charming) I have received none so far so hurry up!


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